Recently I have been finding myself more and more inspired by the contrast in gender identity and in particular Drag. With drag queen Milk being brought to my attention recently I was floored by this amazing shoot by photographer James Whiteside which shows Milk and drag family aka The Dairy Queens, consisting of Milk, Skim and Yoohoo. I love this really fun editorial shoot which really highlights the lighthearted side of drag and gender bending performance. 

(images from jameswhiteside.org)

On Repeat

Katy B - Still

Again Katy B features in another 'On Repeat' post, I never, much to my own disappointment, paid Katy B much attention around the release of her first album and singles, however upon discovery of 'Little Red' her second album, I have fallen completely in love with her. Still is the latest video/track to have been released from the album and is my personal favourite, it provides an excellent more laid back conclusion to the upbeat 'Little Red'. 

Foxes - Holding Onto Heaven

I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit disappointed that this was the next release from Foxes upcoming album, not that I don't adore the song however the song was previously released as a free song of the week on itunes a few months ago. For some reason this always really bothers me when artists release songs for free, mostly for promotional reasons, then they release them again as singles. Anyway with all that aside, this is still a brilliant song, free or not! And the video again showcases Foxes quirky personality and incomparable voice. 

Sam Smith - Stay With Me

Winner of the Brits Critics Choice 2014, Sam Smith is set to follow the footsteps of previous winners such as Adele, Florence and the Machine and Ellie Goulding. It is rare for me personally to really take to male singers, I have always found myself to have a bit of a disconnection with them, Sam Smith however, is a completely different story. The followup single to the number 1 'Money On My Mind' really showcases the singers voice and more importantly song writing abilities. I look forward to hearing more from him in the not too distant future with the release of his debut album 'In The Lonely Hour' due for release at the end of May.

Diesel // Ponystep

Creative director of Diesel, Nicola Formichetti collaborated with Ponystep magazine prior to the showing of his first collection for the infamous denim brand. The images are sexy and sophisticated and set the mood for his debut denim collection perfectly. The shoot featuring singer and model Siobhan Donaghy, ex-Sugababe is one of my absolute favourite singers with her second solo album 'Ghosts' being one of the single most underrated outings in music ever. 

(images from Ponystep.com)

Milk // Interview

-"To me, it's all about having fun. And about broadcasting to a wider audience a vision of what drag is."

Interviewed and photographed via skype, New York Drag Queen, Milk continues to break all kinds of moulds. Milk née Dan Donigan, is one of the latest queens to compete on reality TV show 'RuPaul's Drag Race' speaking of her experience as a performer and artist for an online article for Interview Magazine, the piece makes for a really interesting read. Already being a fan of Milk myself, I really enjoyed getting to know this unique, beautiful and insanely talented queen a bit more. Read the full article for yourself here.

(image from Interview.com)

Brooklyn Beckham // Man About Town

Brooklyn Beckham makes his editorial debut in the Spring Summer issue of Man About Town magazine. Incredibly blessed by the genetics of his divinely gorgeous mother Victoria and ruggedly handsome father David, fifteen year old Brooklyn has the swoon-worthy potential to follow in the iconic status of his parents. Shot by photographer Alasdair McLellan, baby Beckham, who self styled some of the shoot, has clearly learned a lot from his fashion icon mother, choosing to wear the likes of Saint Laurent and Ralph Lauren.

(images from Man About Town)

On Repeat

Usually I like to post three of my favourite songs for these 'On Repeat' posts, however there is one particular song that has my undivided attention and is absolutely deserving of its own post. Enjoy...

The incomparable singer, songwriter, producer all round music god Sia dropped this absolute belter of a track in the dead of night last night providing an exceptionally good monday morning anthem to wake up to this morning. Sia has written tracks for the likes of Rihanna and featured on some amazing songs, one of which being one of my absolute favourite songs ever 'Titanium' with David Guetta. 

This is a resounding 10 out of 10 and one that will most likely be overplayed to within an inch of its life. Incredible.

Kate Moss // Ponystep

Kate Moss dons the sexy 60's biker look for her Ponystep magazine shoot by Lasse Fløde. The shoot is understated, simplistic but exudes sophistication. The timeless shoot features in extremely underrated Ponystep magazine's latest issue.  

February On Instagram

1. Jo Malone Blue Agava & Cacau Anniversary cologne 2. Antique store selfie 3. Red cup selfie 4. The ceiling at The Contemporary art gallery Nottingham 5. The last of my champagne truffles from Christmas 6. Pixar live in concert at the Royal Albert Hall

Foxes Live

Last night I went to my first gig of 2014, with high expectations I was most defiantly not disappointed. Playing at Stealth nightclub in Nottingham, Foxes was everything I had hoped for and more. Prior to her performance, Foxes was supported by Mausi, a group I have never heard of but was thoroughly impressed by. Usually support acts are a bit weak and unfortunately a necessary evil, however their catchy electro-pop tracks could be compared to groups such as Alphabeat and The Ting Tings (lord knows how I miss them!) Foxes set list was unfortunately quite short, however she did give the audience a glimpse into her upcoming album 'Glorious' as well as performing fan favourites such as 'Youth' and 'Clarity'. She was so personable and chatty and you could tell she was totally loving what she was doing whilst being utterly brilliant at it! I would defiantly recommend going to see Foxes, and indeed Mausi and will be making sure that will be the first of may Foxes gigs I attend.  

Vogue Japan in Disneyland

I almost instantly fell in love with this Vogue Japan spread, the combination of high fashion and Disney was a match made in heaven for me! The spread 'A Playful Sense of Wonder', featuring models Georgia May Jagger and Chiharu Okunugi, shot by photographer Giampaolo Sgura and styled by Vogue Japan's own editor-in-chief and fashion icon Anna Dello Russo, will feature in the magazines March 2014 issue...one for the collection I think!

(images from Vogue Japan)

Jessica Lange // Marc Jacobs Beauty

It was announced today that 64 year old screen icon and timeless beauty Jessica Lange is the new face of Marc Jacobs beauty. The star, most recently known for her incredible portrayal as Supreme Fiona Goode, who provided the spoken word track for Marc Jacobs latest show a few weeks ago, was announced as the campaign star on the designers twitter. You go Jessica!

(all images from Marc Jacobs)

Christopher Kane A/W 2014

The first ever collection I fell in love with and will always be one of my favourites was Christopher Kane's spring summer 2009 collection, since then I have always kept a close eye in awe and adoration of the Scottish designer's uniquely amazing shows season after season. His A/W show was nothing short of spectacular; although questionably there were possibly too many ideas in one show, a few slightly heralding of previous autumn winter shows, however there was, like all of Kane's impeccable shows a plethora of standout looks and pieces. 

With the monochromatic colour palette seen in a large majority of the shows in New York this was no different overseas at London Fashion Week. Kane's use of quirky "bin-bag" fabrics were fun and playful but totally wearable at the same time. The inclusion of fur within the collection, be it trims on skirts or dresses or whole fur coats, unsurprisingly divided fashion fans, however personally, I adore fur! Nothing says luxury or winter more than an excessive fur coat. The inclusion of the laser cut dresses and embellishments could potentially been reserved for a resort or pre-fall collection as they alone would be an eye opening array of beautiful pieces, they did however flow extremely well within the collection, taking the softness of the furs and the ruched and gathered dresses to the finale of the show where Kane debuted seven incredibly ornate mille feuille dresses in pink, black and white. Another incredible step forward for Christopher Kane as he firmly asserts his vision and creativity on London Fashion Week season after season. 

(all images from Vogue.com)

On Repeat

Avicii - Addicted To You

With the increase of euro-dance in the charts over the past year, Avicii have been the most successful of the lot. I absolutely love their latest track, with such a soulful vocals I am immediately in love and hooked almost after the first play.

Kylie Minogue - Into The Blue

Since the announcement of Kylie as the newest judge on The Voice, a return to the charts was inevitable. Her latest not-a-comeback comeback 'Into The Blue' is one of the Aussie diva's strongest vocals in a long time. With a super sexy video, this is almost certainly going to prove to be a very successful record for the incredible Ms Minogue. 

Katy B - Crying For No Reason

In my opinion Katy B is one of the most underrated vocalists of the moment, with a string of successful and unquestionably catchy dance tracks, this delivers what we have grown to love about Katy B, however really gives the singer a chance to show off just what she is capable of. With her second album 'Little Red' having been released just a few weeks ago this is a strong lead single and a good indication of what's to come.

New York Fashion Week Highlights

 3.1 Phillip Lim

 Marc Jacobs

Proenza Schouler

Victoria Beckham

New York Fashion Week has come to an end and London has taken the fashion week reigns. With some of the most well known designers showing at NYFW the standard is always exceptionally high. It was very quickly noted that the monochrome colour palette was staple within the majority of collections for A/W 14/15. Above are some of my own personal favourite collections from NYFW of course featuring the incredible collection from Victoria Beckham. I eagerly await the London shows from some of my favourite designers such as Christopher Kane, Jonathan Saunders and Burberry.

(all images from Vogue.it)

The Bargain Store

So not only was this weekend Valentines, it was also mine and my boyfriends 3 year anniversary on the 16th of February. We had a meal and exchanged cute valentines gifts and had a really nice evening watching Tangled, which was the first film we watched together and one of both our favourites. For our anniversary we decided to start a bit of a tradition this year and would buy each other some aftershave/perfume/smellything! He got me the most incredible Jo Malone cologne (which I am going to post a review on later) However, most exciting of all, we visited an antique shop in Nottingham which, once you got used to the smell, was really quite amazing. We found this absolutely incredible Dolly Parton 'Greatest Hits' vinyl for £1 which I simply had to have; Matthew bought it for me as an extra little anniversary present and I am still absolutely overjoyed to have found it!

Victoria Beckham A/W 14

On Sunday February 9th at New York Fashion Week, Victoria Beckham showcased the brands latest collection for Autumn Winter 2014. This was the first step away from the much more ready-to-wear collections Victoria Beckham has previously produced, with a more fashion forward and avant-garde approach, this collection really was something fresh from the ever incredible designer. The geometry and symmetry seen within her Spring Summer 14 collection has evolved into a much more deconstructed shape. With a much less fitted approach to each look than some of the most identifiable Beckham styles, the collection comprising of 31 looks, consisted of a combination of dresses, coats and separates with more trousers seen this season than ever before. The still noticeable strength and structure of the collection was broken down by the softness of the chiffon dresses and tops. With a slight indication of print, something previously unseen in a Victoria Beckham collection, is this a route the designer will venture into next?

(all images from Vogue.it)

Wonderland

The latest instalment of Wonderland magazine, guest edited by cover star Emma Watson, is without question one of their best yet. Wonderland has always been a personal favourite, the photography is contemporary, the fashion is always looking forward and the content is second to none. It is clear from the offing that Emma Watson is an exceptionally well educated, well spoken and incredibly talented young woman. The spread, featuring young Brit actor Douglas Booth; Watson's co-star in the upcoming 'Noah', is whimsical, fashionable and exactly the type of gorgeous editorial expected from Wonderland. Photographed by Kerry Hallihan, Watson wears the likes of Prada, Louis Vuitton and Dolce & Gabbana.

(Magazine Photographs by: Matthew Darby)

Burberry Spring Summer 14

Burberry's Spring/Summer 14 ad campaign is unquestionably one of their best and one of the best this season. Photographed by iconic fashion photographer Mario Testino, the ad's feature the outrageously aesthetically pleasing faces of the likes of Jamie Campbell Bower and Malaika Firth, a relatively new but extremely successful model on the scene already having featured in a Prada campaign. 

The soft pastel shots are understated yet exude a sense of sophistication. The campaign features looks from the iconic British brands Prosum and Brit shows from London Fashion Week. The adverts really highlight the influence the youthful "digital generation" are having on the ever changing, always head of the game, brand.

(all images from Burberry)

Debrett's 500

Specialist publisher and lifestyle brand for the social elite, Debrett, has once again published it's list of Britain's 500 most influential people. Writing of the list it is stated:

"For almost 250 years Debrett’s has been recognising people of influence and achievement in British society. Beginning in 1769 with the Peerage it later expanded to include People of Today, which has developed into a network of over 22,000 people across all walks of life. 

The Debrett’s 500 is a positive endorsement and recognition of Britain’s 500 most influential people. It has been carefully compiled by independent panels of specialists in each field who provided nominations for selection to Debrett’s. A truly inspiring group of people."

Having looked only closely to the names featured from the British fashion industry, the list is exactly that; truly inspiring. Reading of designers, make-up artists, photographers and so many more who have made the list, it is so motivating to see their hard work is recognised. I firmly believe that success encourages success and I am always trying to achieve more, become better and keep moving forward in order to progress personally and as a designer and pattern cutter. It is motivational people such as those featured on Debrett's 500 that keep me striving to do more and achieve more.  

Some of the most inspirational people to me, that have made the list include the following:

Natalie Massenet, MBE
Founder and executive chairman The Net A Porter Group
Natalie Massenet is the founder and executive chairman of The Net A Porter Group which comprises Net-A-Porter, The Outnet and Mr Porter. Massenet spent her childhood between Paris and LA where her father scrimped together the money to send Natalie to private school. In order to attain the life that she fantasised about, Massenet realised that she would have to work hard. She constructed the idea for Net-A-Porter whilst working at Tatler and in 2004 the company became profitable and won the award for Best Shop at the British Fashion Awards. That same year, the company also won the award for best e-tailer at the UK Fashion Export Award. In September 2012, Natalie was appointed chair of the British Fashion Council. 

Christopher Kane
Fashion designer
Scottish fashion designer Christopher Kane made his name in neon when he won the Harrods Design Award for his MA collection in 2005. After graduating he established his own label with his sister, muse and colleague, Tammy. Since this time, Kane has designed collections for Swarzovski and Topshop and in 2011 he re-designed a fleet of London cabs. The designer has won an assortment of awards including British Collection of the Year and The New Establishment Award at the British Fashion Awards and Scottish Designer of the Year at the Scottish Fashion Awards. Most recently, Kane won the prestigious accolade of Womanswear Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in December 2013. 

Christopher Bailey, MBE
Chief creative officer Burberry

Born in Yorkshire, the son of a carpenter and a window dresser, Christopher Bailey is now at the forefront of the British fashion industry. As the chief creative officer at Burberry, he is credited with driving the fashion house’s global success. Bailey is responsible for the brand’s overall image, including advertising, store design, corporate art direction and digital innovation. This year Bailey will be taking over as the CEO of Burberry from the current chief executive Angela Ahrendts. Prior to his position at Burberry, Bailey worked as a designer at Donna Karan and Gucci. He has won numerous awards for his work, including Designer of the Year and Menswear Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards. 

Kate Moss
Model

Kate Moss is the face of British fashion. Discovered by Storm at the age of 14, supermodel Moss continues to embark on one of the most illustrious modelling careers of the times. Having had campaigns with most major Italian, American, French and British designers including Gucci, Channel, Calvin Klein and Bulgari, for the last 25 years Moss has been a well-established style icon. She first appeared on the cover of British Vogue in 1992, signed an exclusive worldwide contract with Calvin Klein and launched her own label Kate Moss for Topshop in 2007. At the age of 39, when most models have been forced into retirement, Moss’s timeless image is propelling her from strength to strength as she continues to diversify her iconic look.

Victoria Beckham
Fashion designer

As one half of Brand Beckham, pop star-turned-designer Victoria Beckham began her fashion career when she collaborated with denim label Rock & Republic in 2003. In 2006, she split from them to pursue her own denim line. She showcased her first womenswear collection during New York Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 2009 followed by her secondary label Victoria by Victoria Beckham launched for Spring/Summer 2012. Beckham was awarded Designer Brand of the Year at the 2011 British Fashion Awards and her designs were recognised in the Closing Ceremony of London 2012. She is one of the most photographed women in the world and in 2013 won Woman of the Decade Glamour Award.

On Repeat

Finding myself most productive and all round most content when listening to music, I thought it appropriate to share some of my favourite songs of the moment. I have a particularly bad habit of finding a song I love and playing it on repeat non-stop. For now, here are three of my favourites.

Foxes - Let Go For Tonight

Possibly best known for the song for a particular department store's Christmas advert, Foxes is pretty new to the music scene. Her impeccably well written songs and the soft melodic tone of her voice make Foxes an instant favourite. With her album 'Glorious' released in a few weeks, I am expecting something quite glorious indeed, if previous tracks such as 'White Coats', 'Youth' and 'Echo' are anything to go by, she will not disappoint. Touring in March, I can not wait to see Foxes live.

Ella Eyre - Deeper

Runner up to the incredible Sam Smith in The Sound of 2014, Ella Eyre has a voice like no other. Having previously featured on Rudamental's hit 'Waiting All Night' she has now released tracks of her own. 'Deeper' is an upbeat track giving the singer a chance to really show off her unique sound. 

Lea Michele - CanonBall

Despite the immediate connotations of Lea Michele and a certain musical television show, the singer's voice is undeniably incredible. Having become so well known for her powerful ballads and covers of iconic pop and show tunes, Michele had a lot to prove in terms of a solo artist in order to be taken seriously as a musician. As her first venture as a solo artist, this song is catchy, well written and extremely well executed. I eagerly await more from Lea Michele in the not too distant future. 

Menswear A/W 14/15 Highlights

3.1 Phillip Lim

Burberry Prorsum

Dolce & Gabbana

Givenchy

Neil Barrett

Menswear fashion week is becoming a much more important date in the fashion calendar, as a predecessor to February's fashion weeks across the world. When considering womenswear shows, I am able to be much more objective, being able to consider design and construction, however it is difficult to view menswear without a more subjective opinion. Menswear provides much more of a 'what I would like to wear' attitude than the 'what I would like to design' outlook derived from womenswear collections.

Above are a few of my favourite looks from some of my favourite menswear autumn/winter 14/15 shows. The dark colour palette is seen within most pieces/collections, with an influence of prints and more of a focus on textures and fabrics than previously noted. The patterns and prints of the shirts, scarfs, coats and accessories seen within the Burberry Prorsum show are a personal favourite.

(all images from Vogue.it)

Victoria Beckham: The Skype Collaboration Project

The Victoria Beckham Skype Collaboration Project, is a visual journey through the designers five year development of her iconic womenswear brand. Broken down into three separate chapters focusing on Victoria Beckham as a person and as a brand the Skype Collaboration is an incredible insight into the world of my own personal favourite designers. The story is broken down into images, videos, audio, profiles and so much more, making it a really interesting and enjoyable journey to learn about. 

The screen shots above were taken from a video on Vogue.com featuring the collaboration. Having always been inspired by and in awe of Victoria Beckham, the video really hit home how hard working, driven and dedicated she is as a designer. Her input and dedication to the brand is nothing but admirable and, to me, extremely motivational. The chance to work for the Victoria Beckham brand has been a dream of mine since the launch of her 2009 spring/summer line of dresses at NY fashion week. 

The Victoria Beckham Skype Collaboration project is highly recommended and well worth every minute taken to enjoy the visual and descriptive journey of one of the most inspirational and hard working women in the fashion industry.

Take a look for yourself here: Victoria Beckham: The Skype Collaboration Project