When porn meets fashion and fashion meets porn

Last week Diesel announced that they are going to start advertising on Pornhub (the largest online pornography site with 2.1 million views per hour). More people visit Pornhub each month than Amazon, Netflix and Twitter combined.
We're so desensitised from this already (from the likes of provocative music videos) that porn isn't becoming anything other than the norm; so doesn't it make sense for Diesel to advertise their clothing brand there?
It's already common knowledge that Diesel are notorious for not playing by the rules, yet are ardent fans of maintaining relevant and contemporary - hence their latest campaign (now featured on Pornhub), which decodes the idea of digital culture; from emoji language to hashtags.

Moreover, most recently announced is that porn actor Colby Keller is the new face of Vivienne Westwood SS16. The campaign sees Keller go full frontal around various areas of Venice, (shot by Juergen Teller) in alleys and canals as to highlight the recent damage done to the city over the past few years. As with most of Westwoods campaigns, as an avid environmentalist and keen campaigner against fracking, the shots portray an environmental awareness - a city with a landscape once so beautiful that is slowly decaying. 

Balenciaga's New Boy

After three years, Alexander Wang has held his final fashion week collection for Balenciaga in Paris, commenting on the end of his reign as feeling like “the end of school”. Yet, Wang’s replacement is probably someone you have never heard of – Demna Gvasalia, designer for creative collective Vetements. Someone quite the opposite to Wang, and certainly an outlandish choice for a fashion house once defining the precision of haute couture.

Vetements, a design collective, (currently numbering at eighteen) once showed their collection in a gay sex club in Paris. It has been cited as bringing a youthful and somewhat anarchic energy back to the fashion scene – typically associated with haute couture fashion houses, rather than perhaps youth culture.

Balenciaga chief executive said on the new successor: “We really wanted somebody that has a vision, and someone capable of reshuffling the cards. I was really amazed by his ability to develop an approach to the brand that was really new and that was really his own…what should be the attitude, what should be the silhouette, what should be the volumes”.

What you need to know:

- He’s been described as Martin Margiela’s ‘spiritual son’. They both attended the same university and Gvasalia spent years honing his craft.

- He learnt luxury at Louis Vuitton

Having worked at the LVMH fashion house, he spent time under the influence of Marc Jacobs and Nicholas Guesquiere.

- Vetements is Paris’ most talked about Brand

Fans such as Rihanna and Kanye and was nominated for the Young Designer Prize.

Don't Buy The Sun #gfw

So it's that time of year again were fashion graduates can showcase their final work at the graduate fashion week. This year, like no other, saw plenty of talented designers and creatives, yet there was one in particular that caught my attention. It was Kayliegh Walmsley collection. A fashion design student from the University of East London, whose collection was, contradictorily, influenced by the Hillsborough tragedy. Although, not from Liverpool herself, her dad and her are huge Liverpool FC fans and her dad attended the Hillsborough match. She said that living in London, "not many people are aware of the tragedy and therefore she wanted to raise awareness".
The collection features 6 outfits; a combination of 80s casual dress and tracksuits, mixed with leather and sequins, which are all now being featured on Vogue's website!
The final look of her collection saw a model walk holding a flag: 'Don't buy the sun'. This obviously brought immediate shock factor, and not only grabbed the audience's attention but evidently the press' too, which personally I think is a great thing, the more awareness of what happened at Hillsborough the better.
Check out her collection pieces here...

Coachella

Coachella 2015, the most enviable festival of all time, and quite frankly the most polar opposite to any popular British festival.  This year saw all the fashion/social media famous faces attend, from the Jenner sisters (and friends), to Alexa Chung and Jourdan Dunn (sporting a new lilac/violet hair-do). The festival attendee's saw many attaining to the boho chic look (no wellies) all stylishly clean mini dresses and major bling. Here's some of my fave looks...

Jourdan Dunn

Kendall and Kylie Jenner

Rosie Huntington Whiteley.

Kim K Goes Blonde

The media queen and Kanye spouse, Kim Kardashian, has yet again back to surprise the social media fans, by transforming her signature dark brown locks to a strikingly bleached blonde.

The transformation was revealed at the Balmain Paris fashion show, were Kim sat front row (with sister Kendall Jenner appearing on the catwalk). 

It's inevitable that Kim and Kanye (and the rest of the Kardashian clan themselves) love to shock their fans (and the rest of us), with Kim's predominantly overly revealing bodycon outfit choses to Kanye's 'rants' and now a casual bleached hair dye...what's next?

Tell me what you think of Kim's new weave; too much? Too fabulous? Or too Draco Malfoy?

Lipsticks That Change Colour According To Your Mood?...

Yep, that's right. The newest in colour changing products is lipsticks! Perhaps for us indecisive ladies, this offers us options when struggling to commit to just one shade. Or maybe for the inquisitive ones, it just gives you the chance to find out how you're 'really' feeling at a given moment in time. Or swiping this product on your lips could just be a chance to prove how ridiculously inaccurate it is...
Who knows. Yet, I bet you're curious to find out, so keep your eyes open for when they arrive!

Kanye x Adidas

So fashion week is back, back with a bang at NYC. One of the first collections to hit the runway: Kanye West for Adidas Originals. And it was very original. With some of fashion's coolest and most adored faces sitting 'frow'; from the likes of Anna Wintour, to wife Kim Kardashian and crying baby North West, to Rihanna and Beyonce. They all came to support Kanye's new line of men and women's athletic-leisure wear, created in quite a muddy, mostly sobering, borderline dystopian colour palette.

The women were mainly styled in ridiculous body stockings that were so nude or beige they looked like naked dolls. Whilst the men were dressed in oversized, deconstructed jumpers, with the odd oversized thrown-over jacket. This collection definitely offered a moderate version of a movement in menswear fashion - the elevation of athletic wear from something that can be worn beyond just the gym.

The show as a whole was certainly well rehearsed, from the moody lighting and the unique choreography that had all the models lined up and advancing towards the rows of photographers like robotic zombies. Yet, overall, bar the distinctive attitude and point of view, this collection did not fill fashion's creative void.

Kim's sister Kylie Jenner also appeared in the catwalk. 

Kendall Jenner x Karl Lagerfeld

So the new Karl Lagerfeld Spring 2015 campaign has been released and of course it features no other than, "rising-top-model", Kendall Jenner (along with his other models-of-the-moment: Sascha Luss, Ming Xi, Baptise Giabiconi).
The campaign is titled "Karl Is Kolor" (which just seems like a bad tachy business subsidiary of one of the Kardashian's endorsements) and features his new brightly hued accessories. Personally, it looks like the editor got far too excited with Photoshop and thought black and white with the highly infused colours of the accessories would be a great combo, but really it looks as though a year eight student just googled 'cool photoshop edits' and won the competition. I find it weird how one such as Karl Lagerfeld who has quite frankly transformed Chanel, and been the beneficial force behind its success today, can create his own line so much worse and make it seem as though it's about ten to fifteen years behind everyone else at that!
Here are some of the campaign images, take a look and tell me what you think...

Versace Atelier

So the Versace Atelier Haute Couture runway show happened... and it was amazing!
The SS15 collection completely redefines an exploration of cut and shapes, experimenting with elegance and purity whilst embracing 50's couture.
Check out some of my favourite looks:

Best Dressed of 2014!!

My pick for the best dressed of the year...

Of course, the one and only Lupita with this draw dropingly stunning red carpet moment at the last Golden Globes red carpet. 

The new style icon, Amal Clooney, does effortlessly chic with ease, and never puts a foot wrong.

Of course, the uber stylish Rihanna, whom whether its a basketball game or dinner in Cannes she always manages to look enviously cool.

Emma Watson, mainly because of this Golden Globes moment which was stunning and an inspiration to women, plus she's changed the face of feminism so double points for Watson.

Lastly, this high-fashion Victoria's Secret model seems to have really found her element last year and has nailed every red carpet she seems to have attended.

Julia Roberts for Givenchy

Belated post... however whaaat Julia Roberts has been named as the new face of Givenchy! This choice seems like a little curveball, in considering Givenchy is usually known for being quite edgy, masculine, diverse and cool. No offence Julia, yet this rom-com hollywood star hardly seems like the first choice in mind. Usually a beauty brand fixture, Julia Roberts has been the face of numerous mainstream companies such as: L'oreal and Lancome, but perhaps that's exactly why she was chosen.
In the campaign Roberts has been given a bit of a Givenchy makeover, with a new androgynous look taking fold. Tisci said (on Roberts): "I like that she is one of the biggest stars in the world but you don't see her in fashion imagery"..."I was very surprised she accepted".

Fashion Bloggers

After returning home to Liverpool for Christmas, I gained back the luxury of having a proper television with more than about ten channels (woo). After quickly scanning through the guide, I noticed that 'E!' (an American entertainment channel) had recently scheduled some new fashion related shows. I was more than satisfied and prepared for hours of procrastination, yet as they were fashion related it still counts and sort of work (right?).
One of the shows I found was Fashion Bloggers. It showcased five super successful Australian bloggers and a sneak peak into their fast paced lives and work schedules. First up: Kate Waterhouse. A fashion and lifestyle blogger, who had already grown up in the spotlight so has great access to all the coolest celebrities around.>> http://katewaterhouse.com

Next, Margaret Zhang, a uni student by day and high-end fashion blogger by trade, who has also been recently named brand ambassador for Westfield nationwide! Check her out >> http://shinebythree.com (definitely one of my favourites!)

Sarah Donaldson, creator of blog 'Harper & Harley' is the ultimate cool girl-next-door who captures signature street style images to inspire her readers to create a wardrobe on essential pieces, while eliminating colour in the process. >>http://harperandharley.com

Next up is Amanda Shadforth, formally known as 'Oracle Fox', of course. Already an award winning creative visionary and artist, this fashionista is one of the world's most respected trend forecasters. Take note! >> http://oraclefox.com

Lastly, Zanitta Whittington, a former model, now photographer who enjoys capturing her travel and journey through the eye of her lens. >> http://zanita.com.au

Naomi Campbell - Fierce in her 40's

Naomi Campbell, supermodel, queen of the catwalk, has recently been named the face of Agent Provocateur's ss15 campaign! At 44, with a career spanning over nearly 30 years, the model has never looked more amazing and more fierce!! The campaign shows Naomi showing off her iconic curves in the luxurious underwear that is most definitely on my Christmas list! Check out the images here...

And what's more, Naomi hasn't just landed one campaign, but she is also the face of Burberry! The supermodel joined forces with 24 year old model Jourdan Dunn, for the first time, in an another stunning ss15 campaign, of course. 

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

This years Victoria's Secret Fashion Show has finally arrived!! Its bigger, better and back in London.
Around 50 of world's most glamorous and enviously stunning models arrived in the capital the week of December 4th in preparation for the big show. All the models/angels (including Karlie Kloss, Lily Aldridge, Candice Swanepoel, Adriana Lima and more) arrived for their 7am flight from LA to board the angel airways, all blow-dried and ready to go; with personalised blankets, eye masks and all.
The fashion show is one of the biggest fashion shows in the world, watched in over 190 countries!
The show is perhaps most known for their iconic angel wings which get more dramatic and extravagant each year. Although featherlight and beautiful in appearance, the wings can often weigh around 40lbs. Each year the show producers consider dropping the wings from the show, but they say the girls will kill them (not literally).

Lindsay Ellington [on the angel wings] said: "I've worn some of the heaviest wings over the years and so now I think they feel like they can trust me".
In preparation for the big show, many of models endure a strict diet plan and training regime; some sticking to a liquid only diet the day prior, protein rich diets of up to 6,000 calories a day and hardcore exercise including boxing and extreme skipping.

This year's performers ranged from headliner Taylor Swift who performed 'Blank Space' and the new single 'Style', then there was Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande (who perfumed for the Pink section) and, one of my favourite new artists, Hozier.

Each year, Victoria's Secret design a 'Fantasy Bra' usually the most extravagant and worth around a million dollars! Last year, the one and only Candice was chosen to wear the bra, but this year Adriana and Alessandra, who both will walk their 15th show this year, have been chosen to walk in the first ever two fantasy bras, which are embellished in 2 million dollars worth of jewels, red for Alessandra and blue for Adriana.
I cannot wait to watch the show when it airs on 4music at 9pm on the 10th here in the UK!!

BFA 2014

Last night was the annual British Fashion Awards at London's coliseum. The event saw high fashion designers like Victoria Beckham to Tom Ford, and style icons/models from Alexa Chung to Kendall Jenner. Below are some of my favourite looks from the evening...

Rihanna in a Stella McCartney jacket.

Olivia Palermo accessorised with jewellery from Monica Vinader.

Lily Donaldson wore an Osman spring/summer 2015 dress.

Jourdan Dunn.

Exploitation of the Fashion Industry

Following on from my previous blog post, reflecting from the same lecture, I would like to elucidate upon the aspect of Environment, Ethics and Exploitation.
I was aware before today that fashion is a harmful industry; it's no doubt producing clothes inevitably will result in huge amounts of waste. Furthermore, I was also aware of the child labour, the poor working conditions that many labourers have to suffer in third-world/developing countries and the disasters that have occurred in consequence of such offences, such as recently in Bangladesh.
However, I was not aware to what extent such exploitation and harm to our planet was actually occurring. For example, due to the perhaps high demand in cotton production, a sea in central Asia has actual begun to disappear due to constant irrigation of Uzbek cotton plantations. In order to actually produce one cotton shirt, it uses 2,700 litres of water! Hence the disappearance of the sea.
Moreover, the denim capital of the world, Xintang, China, uses toxic dyes in order to achieve the different shades of indigo for our jeans. These toxic dyes evidently pollute its surrounding waters, and for those habitants living nearby, research has proven that they are in fact more likely to die of cancer than anywhere else in the world.