Monthly Archives: December 2011

LFW SS12: Michael van der Ham

Michael van der Ham SS12

There have been many terms used to describe Michael van der Ham’s creations ‘patch work’, ‘re-constructed’, ‘jigsaw pieces’ but none of them, to me, see quite right. Keeping his trade mark ‘collage’ way with fabric, this season the designer moved away from the statement dress although, breath a sigh of relief, they still featured. Applying his technique to sharp tailored shirts and trousers, yet here the trompe l’oeil was that the ‘patchwork’ was in fact a print. Custom Louboutin T-Bar heels and striking clutch bags gave this collection some serious clout. Summer in the city, clothes on the fashion editors, one shining star of a designer.

You can watch more London Fashion Week videos on my YouTube channel

FPOW + TK Maxx for LFW

Shoe Saturday: Splish Splash

   

Left to Right Top – Lollipops ‘Louise’, Be Only ‘Irish’ and ‘Cavaliere’; Bottom: Colors of California ‘Sanger’, Dr Martens ‘Nellie’, Aigle‘Chantabelle’.

Splish splash, I haven’t been taking a bath but merely stepping outside my front door. This week in the UK we have been having torrential down pours and strong winds. The only kind of foot wear to tackle this kind of weather is a good old pair of Wellies, or Gum Boots should you be reading in New Zealand! Over the last few years there has been a real fashion revolution with the trusty Wellington boot going from basic frog green only available in garden centers to a whole host of colours and designs available in all the high street shops and even designer boutiques. Here are some of my tops picks for the coolest rain boots to be seen in from bright green to baby blue, patterned in tartan and bows, even some designed in a riding boots style and ones with detachable furry trim there must be something for everyone. Which does beg the question as to why my own pair are dull grey and covered in moss!

Beauty: Christmas Haul, Looks & Products

Agent Provocateur: Perfume, Body Glamour and Bubble Bath; Chanel: Black Pearl nail varnish, Rouge Allure Velvet lipstick in La Fascinante, Or gold eye liner, Blazing Gold eye shadow; Tom Ford Bitter Bitch nail Varnish, F21 gold and black necklace.

Chanel Rouge Carat nail varnish, Vivienne Westwood ring and address book.

 

Make-up look created with Chanel products above.

Thought it was about time I showed you some of what Santa brought! For those of you following on Twitter and Facebook you will have seen my new nail varnishes already, I have to say these are three of my favourite ever colours. Bitter Bitch is a rich brown with an aubergine tint, Black Pearl is the exact colour of its namesake and Rouge Carat is a deep almost metallic red. I really like deep, rich colours during winter. This year Chanel have knocked themselves out with their beautiful gold eye shadow which can be applied as a subtle shimmer or built up for a full on shot of gold. The gold liquid liner is the perfect highlight worn alone or with shadow. The cherry red on the cake comes in the form of the new matt Velvet lip colours. I was surprised at how a matt lipstick could be so soft and moisturising, but again then it is Chanel.

Review: French Sole

French Sole Henrietta Beige Snakeskin print

I don’t know how many pairs of flat shoes I have shown you over the last few weeks, all of them having been returned, except these. Being a half size I find it really difficult to find flats that fit well. I mean you can get away with a bit of extra room in boots but with flats they end up flipping off your heels if a bit too big or pinching toes if too tight. Luckily I discovered French Sole come in half and full sizes! Whilst they are not cheap they are not as expensive as designer shoes and for their quality I would say a good middle ground. Beautifully packaged in a pretty poodle emblazoned box and swathes of tissue paper, first impressions were certainly good. Slipping them on the size is perfect, although the grosgrain trim a little stiff and scratchy. The were printed canvas with rubber soles, I admit I had expected leather uppers at least for the price. Yet the soles are cushioned and after wearing them around the house I think they will be a great light weight pair of flats to throw in my bag for summer. Yes I am afraid they would not withstand a Northern winter due to the canvas upper, perhaps the leather ones would be more sturdy? French Sole do have a nice range of ballet flats I have to say, I don’t think I have seen any other brand with more choice. I very much like the snakeskin print and the shape of the shoes.  They are beloved by Kate Moss and other celebs so I will let you know how I get along with them.

Do you have a favourite flat brand?

Ever tried French Sole?

LFW SS12: Jasper Conran

Jasper Conran S/S 12

“Lithe, sporty and feminine. Pitched from the shoulder, unrestricted yet precise. Innovation in construction and detail with wraps, straps, ties and the cleanest approach to cut. In summer wool, cotton, pique, polished cotton, crepes and silk the palette resides in black, white, silvered-grey and saturated geranium tones. Pattern is formed in weightless silk tulle and georgette. Pared down and unaffected in a monastic black silk crepe tux. The back is bared in floor length dresses – singular in their bold purity. A distinctive air of ease highlights the disciplined lack of grandeur.”

Chic and simple, clean but achingly cool. This collection is how summer should be, in the heat everything seems fussy and too restricting, this is the antidote. The pieces were kept minimal, yet Conran’s use of geometric shapes and precise cut gave depth. Interest was added with perspex circle necklaces and bags. Monochrome black, white and grey were contrasted with vivid red and pink. Wide leg trousers, loose tunics, shift dresses and floor length gowns, every occasion catered for. Flat sandals were worn throughout, as if to underline the importance of casual chic.

FPOW + TK Maxx for LFW

My Year In Shoes

If you follow me on Twitter @pearlwestwood, you will know I tend to take photos of my shoes on my Blackberry all the time. So here is my year in shoes!

Can you guess how many photos I am wearing Vivienne Westwood shoes in?

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

How to Wear: That Little Black Dress

 

No matter what your budget a little black dress is the perfect answer for the party season. A timeless frock which can be dressed up or down easily with accessories means you can stop worrying about what to wear and enjoy the party!

Outfit One – Budget: Lace dress £59.99, studded ankle boots £19.99 ( RRP £50), jewelled clutch bag £9.99.

Outfit Two – Blow Out: Beaded shoulder dress £149.99 (RRP  £740), snakeskin effect shoes £59.99 (RRP £150), oversize clutch bag £249.99 (RRP £885).

All from TK Maxx where you can find your own little black dress!

LFW: S/S 12 Vivienne Westwood Red Label

‘It wasn’t that I purposely wanted to rebel, I wanted to find out why it had to be done one way and not another’

- Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood’s Red Label has become synonymous with suiting. Not your typical suiting of course,  as Westwood has been exploring and challenging the concept of tailoring since early on in her career. Loose jackets in damask featured in Pirate 1981, the over size ‘Alien’ jacket with huge shoulders first appeared in Witches 1983 but it was Harris Tweed1987 when Westwood revived traditional English suiting. Playing with proportions – cropped shrunken jackets with mini crini skirts. Later all her designs would come together, interchangeable for the wearer to make their own rules.

What could be more perfect for summer than a rakish, loose cut, shorts suit or a pair of harem trousers. This season heels with a futuristic sporty edge were added, a nod to the Olympics perhaps? The Propaganda printed pieces will be particular favourite to the Westwood fan, especially when done so subtly. There is nothing quite like making a political statement whilst in a tailored suit. Bright prints and more romantic pieces where also seen such as the orange and blue dress, ruffled off the shoulder blouse and gold damask cape. All fabulously interchangeable and most importantly fun to wear. I already have a wish list a mile long, I foresee the Westwood staff seeing a lot of me in the near future, but I guess you knew that already. The six looks below are some of my personal favourites, see you in the spring!

Images courtesy of Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood

Internship Opportunities

Vivienne Westwood offers a variety of internship opportunities.

An internship is a great way to start your career; it gives you valuable leadership experience and important networking opportunities that can help in a competitive job market.

Look below at the opportunities now available and see if any of them match with your skills.

If there are currently no work placements that match your criteria, you can send your CV for a future application stating:

- department/role you are interested in;
- period and length of availability

Please make sure your CV is formatted in Microsoft Word and does not have embedded images, supporting images should be sent in a separate .pdf document which should not exceed 5mb in file size.

Click here to send an updated copy of your CV and covering letter

Or check below to apply for a specific internship.

Current Internships Available

Stock Administrator Assistant

The London office of Vivienne Westwood is currently recruiting an intern to assist in the Jewellery Stockroom Department.

The role will primarily involve assisting with Vivienne Westwood jewellery and deliveries from the suppliers but also general administrative duties:

- unpacking and allocating jewellery to customers orders

-making packing lists and preparing the shipment of jewellery and packaging

-updating the jewellery stocks regularly

-assist jewellery manager and assistants

This is an excellent opportunity to gain experience of the fashion and retail sector and it would be a good opportunity for those aiming to work in the fashion industry or related field.

The candidate must be computer literate, precise and have good organizational skills.

The role will be for approximately 5 days a week, Monday to Friday between 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, although as this is a voluntary position, these requirements are flexible.

To apply for this internship please send your CV and covering letter here.

Please also state your availability.

Sales Administrator Assistant

The London office of Vivienne Westwood is currently recruiting an intern to assist in the Jewellery Department as Sales Administrator Assistant.

The role will primarily involve assisting with the marketing research, assistance with the sample collection but also general help to the sales administrator and product manager:

-orders data entry

-system data update

-issuing order confirmation

-sorting returns from customers and following related customer service

-update data on return files

-ship returns to customers

This is an excellent opportunity to gain experience of the fashion and retail sector and it would be a good opportunity for those aiming to work in the fashion industry or related field.

The candidate must be computer literate and have good organizational skills.

The role will be for approximately 5 days a week, Monday to Friday between 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, although as this is a voluntary position, these requirements are flexible.

To apply for this internship please send your CV and covering letter here.

Please also state your availability.

PLEASE NOTE I AM MERELY MAKING THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE, PLEASE DIRECT ANY QUESTIONS TO VIVIENNE WESTWOOD LTD