British Vogue Nominated For Cover Of The Century

BRITISH Vogue's December 2001 cover, featuring Kate Moss, has been shortlisted by the Professional Publisher's Association (PPA) for the prestigious title of Cover of the Century.

The cover in question is entitled Royal Salute and stars Moss in an embellished tulle dress by Giorgio Armani, wearing a replica Coronation crown and holding a sceptre. The image, which was shot by Nick Knight and styled by Kate Phelan, was designed to fuse fashion with symbols of power in the lead up to the Queen's Golden Jubilee the following year.

The award is one of a number of events planned to mark the PPA's centenary in 2013 and will be voted for by the general public before the winner is announced on November 21. Voting is open now and closes on September 30 - you can vote here.

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SCARLETT KILCOOLEY-O'HALLORAN | February 27, 2013 | Article Link

Iconic Diana Princess Of Wales Dresses For Sale

TEN of Diana, Princess of Wales' most iconic dresses will go up for auction on March 19. The collection was originally bought at a charity sale held in New York in June 1997, arranged by the Princess a few months before her death in August that year.

The upcoming Kerry Taylor Auction will feature gowns by designers including Zandra Rhodes, Catherine Walker and Bruce Oldfield. Highlights include the midnight blue velvet Victor Edelstein gown that Diana wore when she danced with John Travolta at a State dinner given by the White House in November, 1985, an experience Travolta later described as being "like a fairytale".

A dark green velvet dress features a small hand print that could have been the mark of one of the late Princess' then-young sons. Many of the creations appeared in portraits taken by legendary photographers such as Lord Snowdon and Mario Testino. Estimates range from £20,000 to £200,000.

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ELLA ALEXANDER | FEBRUARY 21, 2013 | Article Link

BFC’s Caroline Rush: “London Has Incredible Talent”

CAROLINE RUSH described this season's London Fashion Week as "the perfect storm". The British Fashion Council chief executive believes that the autumn/winter 2013-14 schedule was one of the capital's strongest to date - thanks to the timing (following the London 2012 Olympics), its selection of "incredible" diverse talent, and the fresh bout of "energy and enthusiasm" brought by new BFC chairman, Natalie Massenet. 

"We've been building on strengthening London Fashion Week over several seasons, but now it's almost the perfect storm," she told us. "It's post-London 2012, where there was a huge amount of attention on the UK. We have incredible designers - not just creatively, but which are now developing sustainable profitable businesses - and the internet now gives immediate access to a global audience."

Thanks to a partnership with Righster and YouTube, 21 of this season's shows were broadcast live online this season - not even taking into account the social efforts from the likes of Burberry and Topshop, labels which consistently push the bounds of public interactivity. And speaking of Topshop, Rush was delighted at the increase of British high street presence on this season's schedule.

"It's an opportunity for the general public to access fashion and trends that all start here at LFW, so it's no bad thing at all - [high street brands] are all building international businesses too, so it makes sense to show here when they've got the world's attention and international retailers and department stores in town," she said. "Of course Topshop have been part of London Fashion Week for many years supporting NEWGEN - they're an incredible global fashion brand in their own right now."

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SARAH KARMALI | FEBRUARY 20, 2013 | Article Link

London Collections: Men Confirms June Show Dates

LONDON COLLECTIONS: MEN will take place for spring/summer 2014 from June 16 until June 18. Now in its third season, the upcoming showcase promises to highlight the latest collections of the British menswear world's established and emerging designers.

The British Fashion Council will use two official show spaces - the Hospital Club, which will be hired as the event's central hub, and The Old Sorting Office on Oxford Street, which will offer space for catwalk shows and presentations. The official schedule will be announced from mid-April.

Last season's LC: M was a huge success among buyers and press, with Tom Ford and Alexander McQueen joining the line-up.

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ELLA ALEXANDER | FEBRUARY 25, 2013 | Article Link

& Other Stories Sets London Store Opening Date

H&M has set a date for its & Other Stories London shop opening - 12pm on Friday March 8. The store will be housed at 256-258 Regent Street in a listed building with a second entrance on Argyll Street.

"We're very excited to open our first store in the heart of London," said & Other Stories boss Samuel Fernström. "Regent Street is synonymous with fashion and a perfect place to start sharing our stories."

The two-floor space will house accessories, jewellery and ready-to-wear, in addition to dedicated shoe and beauty departments. The label's online store stories.com will launch on the same day.

"Our diverseness comes from building collections around different fashion stories," said & Other Stories head of design Anna Teurnell. "Ranging from masculine tailoring to feminine chic we're offering our customers endless styling choices."

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ELLA ALEXANDER | FEBRUARY 18, 2013 | Article Link

Marks & Spencer Partners With British Fashion Council

MARKS & SPENCER will partner with the British Fashion Council on a three-year campaign to promote home-grown talent. The Best of British initiative will include two clothing collections, with an emphasis on sustainability and local production.

"The M&S brand is synonymous with all things British so we are delighted that they will be partnering with us to champion the very best of the UK's manufacturing, textiles and practice," said Natalie Massenet, chairman of the BFC. "We are charging them with taking a lead on positive fashion and change within our industry. Myself and the team are looking forward to developing this with them over the next three years."

The clothing collections - for both men and women - will comprise "luxurious capsule edits", and will mark the first stage of the partnership, with plenty more to come throughout the three year collaboration.

"We are proud to collaborate with the British Fashion Council and look forward to working alongside them on our exciting Best of British initiative," said Marc Bolland, chief executive of M&S. "This is the start of an exciting journey to put more emphasis on British design and talent."

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SARAH KARMALI | FEBRUARY 15, 2013 | Article Link

Vogue UK 

Rihanna Interview Exclusive

SHOWING at London Fashion Week was not something that Rihanna nor her River Island co-designer, Adam Selman, took lightly. On Saturday night, the Vogue cover girl unveiled her debut collection for the high street brand.

"Obviously, it is a huge honour to be able to show at LFW alongside some of the fashion greats," Selman told us. "London has such amazing support for original ideas and concepts, especially in art and fashion. Since the show didn't start out meaning to be a full fashion show, I've tried not to stress myself any more than I have. I've been trying to take it all in stride and enjoy the whole process instead of getting lost in it."

Selman - who works with the singer on her tour costumes, including her 2012 Victoria's Secret outfit - has been developing the collection since June last year. He maintains that, unlike many celebrity-fashion collaborations, Rihanna has been "heavily involved" in designing the line. The pair emailed and called each other frequently in the early stages of the project and the star has been present for all recent fittings.

"This collection is very based upon Ri's style and her mood - so it's evolved a lot," said Selman. "There were things that she couldn't find in the shops - for example simple, black, beautiful dresses, so she created her own. She was really interested in how things sit on the models and how they're cut. This all comes from her - it's very personal. She's at the top of her game right now in terms of her career and in herself. She's in a really good place."

Selman describes the collection as "urban-inspired, unfussy with a hint of uptown" and is targeted at "cool hip girls who aren't super thin". He admitted that the pair did have a few differences when working together - something he believes improved the overall results.

"There were times when I said to her, 'Ri you've got trust me on this.' Then she'd put her foot down and I'd have to let it go," he said. "Other times, she'd go with me. You can't always change or read someone's mind. A little tension is good though. We made a good team - there was never any shouting or screaming."

Selman and Rihanna will soon start work on their next collection for River Island - this time for autumn/winter 2013-14.

"I'm looking forward to getting into it fully," he said. "This is just the beginning of Rihanna's design career."

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ELLA ALEXANDER | FEBRUARY 17, 2013 | Article Link

Vogue UK

London Fashion Week kicks off in monochrome and metallics

(Reuters) - Monochrome dresses inspired by Italian architecture and mirrored skyscrapers kicked off London Fashion Week on Friday as designers showcased elegant and minimalist creations for Autumn/Winter 2013.

British designer Zoe Jordan opened the London leg of the international fashion circuit with grey corseted dresses and flowing skirts, spiced up with splashes of bright amber and dashes of fur.

An architect by training, Jordan said Italian cathedrals and the urban skyline of Hong Kong inspired the sharp silhouettes and metallic finishes of her designs.

"Living amongst those metallic, mirrored skyscrapers all the time does definitely alter your vision a bit," Jordan, who recently returned from a trip to Hong Kong, told Reuters after the show.

"What we are trying to do is that nonchalant glamour, it's a very London thing, you know, the girl who doesn't try too hard," Jordan said of her collection.

One of the big four catwalk fixtures alongside Paris, New York and Milan, London Fashion Week is best known as a cradle for cutting edge talent and avant-garde trends.

The city blends up-and-coming names with veteran designers like Vivienne Westwood in a semi-annual burst of creativity to entice recession-weary consumers back into shops.

The direct value of the British fashion industry to the UK's $2.5 trillion economy is 21 billion pounds, the British Fashion Council (BFC) said.

"London really stands out as a fashion week because they are trying to help support younger designers and find emerging talent. It's not just about praising the big guys, they're looking for the next big thing," Jordan said.

London's art and design schools have been a treasure trove for fashion talent, producing designers such as John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and a raft of others.

Monochrome was echoed by the design duo Fyodor Golan (Fyodor Podgorny and Golan Frydman), who presented a collection of black, ivory and burnt pumpkin, adorned with baroque sketches or embellished with beads.

Skirts and dresses were subtly sexy keeping thighs and chests covered while showing off shoulders and the nape of the neck.

"For us it's all about sexuality - exploring, showing it but not in a perverse way - just going for it," Podgorny said of London Fashion Week.

Looking ahead, the spotlight will shine on American designer Tom Ford, who will be showcasing his womenswear on the catwalk for the first time in London, having previously limited viewings to select fashion insiders and editors of glossy magazines.

Singer Rihanna will add a touch of A-list glamour on Saturday with the launch of her first clothing line with British high street retailer River Island, one of the 56 catwalk shows taking place over the five-day event.

"London fashion is crazy because you've got new designers, you've got fashion, you've got parties...for me it's just about showcasing your talent really," said British actress Jaime Winstone from the front row of Jordan's show.

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Alice Baghdjian | Reuters | February 15, 2013 | Article Link