AW10 Menswear Designers

The boys are back in town and set to bring down the house this season.  Beekay, Komakino, Orschel-Read, Braille and studio_805 make up our menswear designers, and have already got our juices flowing with their refreshing, super modern perspective on 21^st century menswear.  For Pakistan born Beekay, tough, punky masculinity will be the order of the day.  A powerful, confident aesthetic dominates the brand, mixing tough, rebellious leather with lighter, more flexible fabrics like denim and lycra. 

Husband and wife team Komakino (pictured above) take elements of classic menswear and rough it up, slashing fabric, ripping off sleeves and featuring frayed edges and exposed seams.  Fusing military influences with classic tailoring, the design duo use leather and fabric manipulations to create a clean, modern view of masculinity.

Over at Orschel-Read, expect suped up, futuristic boys to rule the pack, as innovative, new generation tailoring and sci-fi style lines are at the centre of this brand.  Already worn by Ga Ga herself (unperturbed by the fact it's meant for men), and shot by photography gods Hedi Slimane, Nick Knight and David Bailey, Orschel-Read take couture fabrics and make them wearable and exciting. 

Now, despite all this macho talk, every girl needs a gent from time to time, and Braille will deliver just that.  Providing a fresh, crisp and upbeat look, Braille employs a smart, classic silhouette in natural fabrics like hemp and wool.  Coupled with a soft, flattering colour palette, the brand expertly transforms the traditional suit and tie aesthetic into a clean, modern, relaxed look.

For something all the more surprising, studio_805, created by Leeds Collage of Art graduate, Andrew Bannister, takes mainstream menswear and administers a much needed dose, actually, make that a triple dose, of fun.  Chocka-block with neon colours and bold, graphic patterns, expect a collection that’s a feast for the eyes from start to finish.

In a world when the girls always seems to get first dibs in the style stakes, this season it seems the lads are going to be spoilt for choice.  Yes, men, throw out those ill fitting polyester suits and comedy socks, this season, you are about to be well and truly styled up.   

Posted by Fiona Anderson

An the Oscar goes to... Vauxhall Fashion Scout Film Club! Do you have a fashion film to show at London Fashion Week?

Here at The Fashion Scout we love fashion film. The way it encapsulates a designer’s collection in a more conceptual way. Music and the pace of the video set the tone, and being able to see garments moving on a model really captures our imaginations.

Now you can keep us (and the rest of the world) occupied, if only for a few minutes, by producing more fashion films. Vauxhall Fashion Scout is proud to be presenting The Fashion Film Club during London Fashion Week. Designers can submit fashion films to be shown at the film event.

The deadline is Saturday February 13^th 2010 - there are a few requirements including that the maximum duration is 4 minutes. For further information and enquiries please contact Mail@LaraFerros.com.

Posted by Emma Drinnan

Fashion Film by Can Evgin from Visions on Vimeo.

Theatre de la mode from Visions on Vimeo.

Fashion Film Neurotica from Visions on Vimeo.

Fashion Film Milena Silvano from Visions on Vimeo.

Showtime: The London a la Mode pop-up showroom

London a la Mode is a pop up showroom held at Liberty House, introducing British brands to domestic and international buyers, press and stylists.  Running from the 2^nd-26^th February, this uniquely collaborative showroom, owned by the brands it represents, includes an exciting mix of British talent, including Vauxhall Fashion Scout's Viking Wong, Ada Zanditon and Harriet’s Muse.   

Brit designer Alice Palmer will also be presenting her new diffusion line ‘AP’ to independent buyers.  Inspired by Batman, this knitwear line features minimalist garments in blacks, greys and teals, in short jackets and body con silhouettes.  Previously stocked by ASOS and Topshop Oxford Street, AP is set to conquer the independent retailers too, with her modernist, clean aesthetic.     
Having already notched up a loyal following of celebrities, stylists and press, the featured designers are the crème de la crème of design talent.  Expect the room to be a-buzz and reams of industry insiders queuing around the block.

To find out more, click here to view the London a la Mode website.

Posted by Fiona Anderson

Esprit de Corps (HORACE ready to wear)

This season sees the design team behind the minimalistic, androgynous and deliciously edgy label, HORACE, present their new ready to wear collection, Esprit de Corps.  Oozing with lashings of classy, understated sex appeal and contemporary, feminine chic, Esprit de Corps (by HORACE) is sophisticated, sassy, and a new, grown up direction for the design team.  Will they pull of another show stopping collection?  We reckon so, with bells on.

The current Horace line can be picked up at Kokon to Zai in London, or if you’re across the pond, Seven New York.

Posted by Fiona Anderson

Image from Horace mainline SS09 collection

Vauxhall Fashion Scout announces Exhibition designers

We can now announce our exhibition designers! The talented bunch exhibiting their collections this season are:

Beekay

Braille

Charlotte Taylor

Chelsea Rebelle

Dean Quinn

Felicity Brown

Lidjia &Dejan's

Silja Manninen

Viking Wong

You’ll get a second chance to see some of our catwalk stars, too, as they’ll also be exhibiting their collections. Hot off the runway, the designers are:

Doii

Jcob Kimmie

Ones to Watch:

ASKH

David Longshaw

Eudon Choi

Florencia Kozuch

Merit Award winner: Hermione de Paula

Keep your eyes peeled for more info coming soon!

Posted by Fiona Anderson

Image: Chelsea Rebelle

Spotlight on the Ones to Watch: Eudon Choi

All big hair and red lipstick set against a vibrant urban backdrop. This beautiful photo shoot showcases Ones to Watch designer and rising star Eudon Choi's SS10 collection. Asymmetric paneled dresses mixed with soft, elegant silk tie ribbons.

Eudon Choi studied menswear at RCA before finally turning his talents to womenswear. Not only was his graduate collection stocked at Dover Street Market he went to design at All Saints and Twenty8 Twelve before starting his new label.

His incredible knowledge of pattern cutting as well as the female form is showcased through detailed construction. His figure-hugging, sensuous designs with a high fashion edge have already attracted Sienna Miller and Jade Jagger as fans.

The collection was inspired by Joan Crawford in Mommie Dearest, watch the trailer below and you will see the muted hues and power shoulder.

Posted by Emma Drinnan

BODYAMR SS10 Film

Fashion Scout has an incredible schedule this season and there are so many designers I am already a fan of. London based fashion designer Amr Ali is one of those, he set up the BODYAMR label whilst studying and is now well known for his feminine designs in vibrant colours.

At the end of last year BODYAMR produced a beautiful fashion film to showcase their SS10 collection, premiering it at Somerset House. Sunlight bursting over barren landscape and flashing lights in a bustling city, the gorgeous backdrop is set against eerie music.

Fashion photographer Emma Summerton who stars in the film also shot and directed the video with Tony Notarberardino. Summerton’s gorgeous red lips and long windswept hair look stunning styled with the fluid, silhouette-enhancing collection. I hope there’s another collaboration this season, I don’t know about you but I want to see more.

Posted by Emma Drinnan

The Darlings of Disney: Anika Noni Rose and William Tempest at the premiere of The Princess and the Frog

Hurrah!  Disney’s gone all fashion on us since the news that William Tempest has designed a dress for the leading lady of new animated movie, The Princess and the Frog.  Disney’s latest star, Anika Noni Rose, whose character is the beautiful Princess Tiana, wore her specially made dress to the film’s premiere last Sunday, and earned the talented Tempest a mention on GMTV where the actress was interviewed.  The hyper-structured, origami inspired dress is a far cry from the usual bows and frills of Beauty and Cinderella; this is a gown fit for a thoroughly modern day Disney heroine, and we love it!

Posted by Fiona Anderson