It's fashion news Friday once more, let's delve into the big stories you need to know about this week...
Last night saw London's most glamourous descend upon 50 St James for the launch of Kate: The Kate Moss Book. The party was hosted by the inimitable Marc Jacobs while Nick Grimshaw and Queens of Noize provided the musical accompaniment. Ms Moss was looking the ultimate version of her legendary self; all mussed up long hair, gorgeous pout and super glamourous Jacobs gold dress. Most fabulous fact of the evening? The cocktail created in Kate's honour Kate 76; a Veuve Clicquot and CIROC Vodka concoction. Earlier in the day, the superdupermodel signed copies of the book at the Bookmarc store in Mayfair.
Signing session at Bookmarc, via @THELOVEMAGAZINE
Smoking hot Kate Moss and Marc Jacobs (image via Vogue.co.uk)
Kate by Camilla Akrans from the Kate Moss Book (image via vogue.co.uk)
So we've been through the elation of Raf Simons' Dior appointment, the patient waiting to see what he do and the falling in love with his new Dior direction- anyone else dreaming of an iridescent ballgown skirt? Now US Vogue have a major profile on the Belgian boy and it's very much worth a read. The central gist of the piece is that Simons is an incredibly down-to-earth, sweet man who is thus able to handle the immense pressure of going into Dior given the colourful recent history of the house. He tells Mark Holgate, "What I find amazing is that it’s a beautiful house where I can make clothes to make women happy. I was raised in a very happy nest by very happy people, and I like to think that those are enough ingredients to make me succeed at Dior."
Raf Simons and his new Dior (images via vogue.com)
Excellent news... we will all be able to buy the Chanel hula hoop bag! Well, you will if you start saving your pennies now, £1,500 to be precise.
Lagerfeld with the giant Chanel hula bag. The commercial version will be a miniature size (image via @derekblasberg)
At the CFDA awards this week, Greg Chait was awarded the big prize of $300,000 to grow his knitwear brand The Elder Statesman. Meanwhile, Tabitha Simmons, US Vogue contributor and new footwear favourite, and jeweller Jennifer Meyer scooped the runners-up awards $100,000 each. It was a somewhat surprising choice of winner which meant that slightly better-known young labels such as Wes Gordon missed out on funding, though perhaps the panel felt that if you're already dressing Michelle Obama then you are doing rather well anyway.
Tabitha Simmons, Jennifer Meyer and Greg Meyer celebrate their CFDA/ Vogue Fashion Fund awards (image via cfda.com)
If you happen to be planning a trip to China at the beginning of next year then be sure to make time to visit Chanel's new exhibition which will be housed at the Zaha Hadid designed Guangzhou Opera House. The event will celebrate Chanel's links with the arts, including the costumes she designed for ballet 'Le Train Bleu'. Picasso's scenery which he created for the production will be the exhibit's centrepiece. China seems to be getting all the luck when it comes to the "Culture Chanel" series, please can we get some Chanel culture in London?
Zaha Hadid's Guangzhou opera house, the scene for the latest Chanel exhibition in China (image via wad.com)
Back to London, and a pair of designers we are VERY lucky to have in our midst. Quirky hat designers Bernstock Spiers are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their Brick Lane based-label with an exhibition of their iconic styles, including the signature bunny caps which sum up Thelma and Paul's fun and irreverent attitude perfectly. The show is on at Fred [London] gallery until 24th November and includes the opportunity to get your hands on an exclusive version of the bunny cap as well as 80s Bernstock Spiers films, hat installations galore and images of London's finest in their Bernstock Spiers.
A rainbow of bunny caps by Bernstock Spiers
PUT IT IN YOUR DIARY... Grace Coddington will be signing copies of her new memoir at Browns next Thursday from 12.30 to 2.30. Let's go! If you're not already incredibly excited about this, then read the excerpt published recently in US Vogue. It's amazing.
Yet another fun thing to do for Christmas shopping/ Christmas shopping avoidance would be to visit Bella Freud's new pop-up shop at Bicester Village which will be open until the beginning of January. Get yourself a gorgeous Freud knit and one of her new range of scented candles. Find out more about Bella's fabulously interesting life and fashion philosophy in this interview she gave The Telegraph.
Bella Freud with Kate Driver, Jeanne Marine and Laura Bailey at the launch of her Bicester pop-up
This is so great from The Guardian, all about how Bridget Jones would dress now. In celebration of the news that Bridget Fielding is working on a third Bridget tome but also a rather apt reminder of the fashion times.
Bridget's early noughties bunny tart look
There are two lovely films to round off this week. First up is the first instalment in a series of 3 detailing the behind the scenes story of the forthcoming Valentino: Master of Couture exhibition at Somerset House.
And yet more Chanel, the story of No.5 and Marilyn Monroe. Divine.
The slogan t-shirt is no new thing but the statements we chose to carry around for all to see are a barometer for the major concerns of the day. Where once, it was all about an anti-nuclear protest or a declaration of love for The Rolling Stones, it's time for fashion designers themselves to have their moment. With all the hopping between houses and going up against one another in frankly ridiculous media-fanned "battles", there has never been a better time to plaster the name of your preferred creative across your chest/ back/ bag. This is way more brazen than the golden chink of bag branding or the knowing choice of the stand-out catwalk item from your favourite brand, the t-shirt shows the world exactly which team you're on. Well, providing the people around you are savvy enough to recognise the significance of the word "Kawakubo". I made the grave mistake of taking to wearing a "In Karl We Trust" t-shirt from Monsieur Steve while I was at uni which attracted numerous surprised enquiries about my new found fondness for Karl Marx. The fact I was in fact showing support for Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld went right over most people's heads. Choose your audience wisely.
Jumping for Comme des Garcons' Rei Kawakubo (image via highsnobiety.com)
Anyway, at Browns press day last week, hot new label Les Plus Dorés which translates as something like "The Most Golden Ones" was on show. The tees are the brainchild of Benjamin Fainlight and have been a sell-out thus far from their e-tail site but happily Browns has bought into the range which lets us sartorially shout from the rooftops our love for Celine's Phoebe Philo and, perhaps controversially, Hedi Slimane. Each tee also arms us with extra fashion geek points, telling us the year the designer was born. Les Plus Dorés are due to drop into Browns anytime between now and 15th December and will be a rather bargainous £70. Thus even if a Celine coat or Comme dress is way beyond your means, you can still put your hand up to be counted among the followers of your most beloved fashion designer. You may like to peruse the offerings of Monsieur Steve who knocks up super fun, tongue-in-cheek fashion tees. I remember one showgoer at the latest round of shows demonstrating the most brilliantly ironic way to wear your "Who the Fuck is Prada?" t-shirt; with the most Prada-ish of Prada optical illusion print trousers and crystal embellished shoes, bien sûr.
The beauty of great innovation is that it gives us something we never had before but which becomes indispensable. Nike, as you may well know, is a brand which innovates like no other. Therefore, it was hardly surprising that in the yoga studio where the second of the five "sports experiences" which I was treated to in Berlin last week was taking place, the new Studio Wrap shoe was unveiled. For those among you who thought that barefoot pilates, yoga and barre classes were your lot, then think again because those clever product developers have come up with a kind of new rif on the classic ballet shoe- well, that was how it immediately looked to me with its foot hugging silhouette and beautiful ribbon ties.
Ignore the toes... Me modelling the Studio Wraps
Nike's Ann Marie and George were on hand to tell us how they had set themselves a mission to make a shoe which was "better than barefoot". A tall order, for sure, but one driven by that Nike mindset which sees any small compromise or niggle as a problem to solve. For instance, walking around a sweaty hot yoga studio, shoeless can feel quite gross. But it's just one of those things which we grin and bear, or wear socks to get through. Well it was until Thursday, but now Nike's Studio Wrap is telling us that not only does it not have to be this way but that there is a solution which is genuinely quite beautiful; much more lovely than a pair of socks. George explained how it took months of making up and testing prototypes which she constructed using socks and tights and bits of elastic to come up with the final design which will go on sale in February as Studio Wrap. The shoe which you wear to practice also comes with a more substantial pair of sporty ballet shoes which you can wear to and from class. The shoe's silicone print sole was put through rigourous testing in studio classes where the areas of impact on the foot where support was needed during key positions like squats and lunges were measured. As well as being more hygienic and a way to beautify barefeet, Ann Marie and George also emphasised how Studio Wraps will actually help us improve our practice because those super-grippy soles will stop us slipping out of key postures.
George and Ann Marie, the brains behind Studio Wrap
A Studio Wrap prototype
Do they actually work? Well, Nike Master trainer Buket took us through a few sun salutations and it was definitely much easier to stay in a posture once you were there- downward dog was far more enjoyable than usual. I also wore my Studio Wraps to a Bikram class last night and actually found that they made balancing a bit easier, maybe because they act as a nice anchor to the ground? They did make my feet quite hot but I'm sure that would be something you'd get used to. I am most obsessed however, with the ribbons which you wind round your legs, just like a ballerina would. One of the biggest testers of good sportswear is whether you'd be happy to wear it when you're not working out, and Studio Wraps are at the top of my list of shoes I want to be wearing right now, yoga or no yoga.
Nike Master trainer Buket models her Studio Wraps
Of course, Nike had more treats in store for us through the rest of the day. Here's what we got up to...
A bike tour through Berlin, taking in street art and cool stores...
A Nike Training Club session with the astonishingly gorgeous Allyson Felix, who won three golds on the track at London 2012
And to top it off, a really fabulous evening event to launch the latest Air Max 2013 collection and the Spring/ Summer women's lookbook, starring, of course, Allyson Felix.
The venue overlooking Berlin's River Spree
A trainer p**n selection of Nike's new styles and colours. Who needs any other shoe?
There's little more predictable than the Hit or Miss declarations which flood the internet the morning after a big awards ceremony. However, a sad day has come, fashion friends, because there is not a single, smidgen of a "Hit" to be found among the fashion graveyard of frocks and get-ups which constituted the attire of attendees at last night's MTV European Music Awards. No wonder little Justin Bieber stayed away, probably for fear of suffering an allergic reaction to Rita Ora's excessively red and meringue-like Marchesa or getting strangled up in Isabeli Fontana's abundant arm fringing.
Rita Ora does 80s mega meringue
We can usually rely on at least a handful of our most manufactured music stars to have found themselves a half-decent stylist to help them negotiate their way through red carpet dressing. The thing is, Rita Ora usually looks super cool and is the perfect poster girl for the Pop look right now with her cute beanies, distressed denim and blinged up street wear, so whatever possessed her to wear a dress resembling something Elizabeth Taylor or Princess Diana might have worn to the opera in 1983? Not that wasn't a fabulous look in that context, but there's a time and a place. Lana Del Rey also hit a new wardrobe low last night in a silky black wrap dress which, paired with a crucifix, looked like the most paltry effort at Goth ever witnessed. We're wondering if Germany- the ceremony took place in Frankfurt- has imposed some kind of import ban on gorgeous, stylish and relevant fashion?
Heidi Klum in one of her 8 Versace looks
Poor Heidi Klum took the brunt of the style no-show last night. We can sympathise somewhat because Klum was kitted out in eight Versace looks for the evening in her role as host. It's an easy mistake to make, who wouldn't say yes to the opportunity to wear the brand new collection, virtually fresh off the catwalk and long before it hits stores? What Heidi maybe neglected to see was that Versace SS13 is a very "Donatella" collection- all lacing, fringing, tie-dye and acres-of-flesh baring. Heidi's stylist Maryam Malakpour told District MTV that the looks fitted nicely into the evening's circus theme, though to my eye Heidi's look went a bit more Malibu Barbie than Circus ringmaster. None of which is very now nor befitting of the ceremony which is beamed across the world and should really showcase the very best of young, cool fashion today. The final nail in the fashion coffin of the MTV EMAs? The conspicuous absence of fashion-meets-music darlings One Direction, who star in the December issue of Vogue and have a very sweet Wonderland cover. They did well to stay away. Rita, Lana, Heidi we forgive you, but please, please do better next year.
Heidi Klum on the red carpet, her Versace gown showing off some, erm, incredible
lacing and spilitting
Lana Del Rey accessorised her blah dress with boyfriend Barrie-James O'Neill
More Rita Ora redness
Isabeli Fontana in a fringed catsuit. Not so 2012
Jedward do skintight sparkle
The Hoff does dodgy denim and open necked pink satin shirt.
The Fashion Editor at Large blog is the independent work of Melanie Rickey, the views are my own. The Fashion Junior at Large is Bethan Holt. PORTRAIT: Neil Haynes
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