Isabel Marant, J'taime

Mmmm... Yummy. Shown yesterday at Paris Fashion Week, Isabel Marants AW2010 collection is certainly my fave of all the international fashion week offerings so far. It may not be ground breaking, but to me is perfect - wearable, realistic, chic, cute and quirky with a large dose of bambam pow. I love the textures, unexpected detailing, colours and overall styling.

Sublime.

Images gratefully pilfered from Style.com

Uh-oh, Balmain

Oh dear. Balmain has done it again. Clearly not content with inspiring 3 seasons of high-street rip offs, Christophe Decarnin has once again produced a collection easy enough for the mass market to pinch.

Whilst there is generally nothing wrong with this perfectly average cycle of fashion trickling down, my main issue with Balmainesque inspired rip-offs are that they translate so poorly. To be frank, they tend to come out looking cheap and slutty. Even in the luxe fabrics on the worlds most incredible models, some of these original little numbers run the risk of being a tad too Kat Slater.

For this collection, Decarnin appears to have concentrated on the gold mini-dress. Hmmm. Like we don't see enough gold 'Christmas Party Dresses' each year on our UK high street already. This year will just be painful - especially if the retailers decide to keep to indecent length to go with the ever so classy (sarc) fabric. I can see the French Connection and Topshop AW2010 Xmas campaigns already. Standard. Worse still, I can see the girls who will be squeezing into them and wobbling around. Not a pleasant sight.

And I shall blame Christophe Decarnin at Balmain. Because he will be accountable, as the trend trail will lead back to this gold-tastic collections. Be warned.

Images kindly pinched from Style.com

Tribal Times

Eagle-eyed readers may recall a few weeks back I was getting rather excited about the Asos Africa launch. Well, Bambam managed to forget her excitement and ended up missing the boat. By the time I remembered, there were only a few bits left, none of which took my fancy. Alas.

Ahhh, but a happy ending awaits!

Browsing in my favourite vintage mecca, The East End Thrift Store (I live a dangerous hop, skip and jump away from it...) a couple of days ago I came across this little beaut on the playsuit rail. £25 later and its my new favourite thing EVER. I'm like a child with a new fancy dress outfit. Infact, my love is so intense, I've worn it out on two consecutive nights - absolutely unheard of for me.

In celebration and preparation for spring, who first day has definitely arrived, I plan to go back and pick up another (there were just a few tribal print playsuits left on the rail... race you there). And soon enough I'll be swanning around in the park, bare-limbed and full of sunshiny happiness.

Delightful.

Spring Bling

Yes! The sun is finally shining and spring is en route.

To celebrate its arrival I really quite fancy some more summery rings to update my fist full of bling.

Namely...

Yves Saint Laurent Roberto Cavalli
Bottega Veneta

Here's to hoping the Easter bunny is my buddy this spring.

London Fashion Week Round-Up

Yes, yes... I am a bad blogger. It is an unwritten rule that during fashion weeks you find time to frequently update with news and lust-worthy tips. I do apologise for my extended absence, but I've been having so much fun celebrating the end of my exams, friends birthdays and shiznizzing or assisting at a few fashion week events that my poor baby blog got rather neglected. To make myself feel better I have been reminding myself that you've all got the wonderful likes of Vogue, Style, Elle, a trillion other far more dedicated bloggers, and live streaming to keep you updated.

So.... LFW AW2010... What a week. Despite the almost constant rain, grey skies and wind, it was another corker. After the triumphant 25th Anniversary last season, the British Fashion Council and all involved ensured another top week. It's great to see London Fashion Week gain such critical acclaim and international recognition for our unique and vibrant offerings.

However, whilst it's the unique and vibrant collections that we've gained such a reputation for, it was the sleeker, more classic ones that really took my fancy this season. Out of the dozens of designers and hundreds of looked that showed, the ones I'm most lusting after are the subtle and wearable offerings of Maria Grachvogel, Pringle and Future Classics.

Mmmmmm... yummy stuff....

Maria Grachvogel

Pringle of Scotland

Future Classics

Maxi Skirts for Mini People

This particular article over at Fashion156 inspired me this morning to forgo my standard skinny jeans or leggings, and instead whack out my bias cut silk maxi-skirt for a change. Isn't it refreshing to break free from a style force of habit? It has been lovely floating around all day, feeling somewhat more free.

Note to self - must wear more maxi skirts and dresses in winter, feels good...

(if, a little Mortia Adams)

(Skirt Topshop // Denim Jacket Lee // Snood Zara // Bag Stella McCartney //

Gloves and Jumper both 'adopted')

Jane Birkin Style

P.s. In fashionland she is not just a pretty face - she mothered Lou Doillon and Charlotte Gainsbourg, absolute style supernovas. Not to mention the fact that she is the namesake of the fashions most exclusive bag, the Hermes Birkin - which to be honest seems a bit odd for a woman most famed for carrying a wicker basket everywhere...

Nevermind, I love her.

Anyone else thinking Alexa may have taken a rather sizable dose of inspiration from her...?

And look, *the* hairstyle of the year, probably being rocked by her circa mid-seventies.

What a style queen.

Roll On Sunday

My classmates and nearest 'n dearest are acutely aware that right now the name ASOS is likely to make me shudder. This is nothing personal to the online superstore, but due to being in the midst of final major BA Fashion Management exams based entirely around ASOS as a case study company.

Whilst I thought I'd never ever ever want to see, hear, write or speak their name again, I'm actually really looking forward to this Sunday when their new ASOS Africia collection launches. You can read the general blurb on how it's been produced in collaboration with small communities with the aim of supporting African trade and producing 'clear-conscious' fashion here.

The ethical credentials are all well and good, and certainly an issue after my own heart, but I'm actually more excited by the design vibrancy of the collection. I am absolutely loving the general aesthetic of the range, and am having difficulties deciding which piece to treat myself to (end of exams + grey rubbish weather = little spring/summer fashion treat for Bambam).

Any faves out of this lot...?

Summer Dreams

The only way to get through grey February days that contain nothing but revision for looming exams is to drift off into summer loving day dreams, pretty much on an hourly basis. Today, these dreams have seen me wafting around in either of these fabulous Matthew Williamson creations that have just landed on Net-a-Porter. I've long suspected that I had a craving for flimsy, technicoloured silky numbers, and todays fantasies have confirmed this. Shame I don't have a few hundred pounds lying around, eh...? Maybe one day!

Fashion lords, please bestow the high-street with a very very good replica (aka rip-off) of these....

Muchos gracias.

x