COLLECTION| Fam Irvoll S/S13

Playful illustrations of grandma's adorned jumpers, skirts and dresses; candy stripes, and block pastels were the main choice of primary palette for Fam Irvoll's Spring/ Summer offering. Chiffon and lace piqued the playfulness, whilst bringing the feminine element forward. 

The 50’s shone through this collection; Fam’s whimsical, childhood elements are still a firm inspiration in her designs. White sheer skirts, with cut-out shapes matched woolen jumpers- all printed with retro illustrations. The line work and attention to detail within the illustrations brought out the lightness of Fam’s knits.

Irvoll included blazers, and fitted pencil skirts, adding a level of sophistication to the collection, allowing the audience to enjoy her Spring/ Summer pieces. The highlight of Fam’s collection was the playfulness, and endless imagination encapsulated in each of her pieces. As well as grandma faces- poodles, bows, and hearts were all printed against contrasting stripes, and straight-cut trousers. Fam really produced a collection that struck everyone watching, captivating them with a vast array of colour, prints and embellishment. Adding to her "Grandma" theme, Fam appropriately chose complimenting accessories, consisting of fluffy heels, and flat slippers. 

Text by Lora O'Callaghan

Images by Charlotte Headdey

EXCLUSIVE| Model Casting at Vauxhall Fashion Scout for SS13 Catwalk Shows

With only one day to go until the launch of London Fashion Week, the all-important model casting for Vauxhall Fashion Scout SS13 took place today at our location, Freemason’s Hall; accompanied by our sponsors SNOG Frozen Yoghurt, who supplied everyone with delicious refreshments throughout the day.

From the moment the doors were opened our designers were spoilt for choice; as a sea of beautiful girls filtered into the building to demonstrate their proficiency in the all-important “catwalk walk”. 

Vauxhall Fashion Scout spoke to the wonderful Rebekah Roy, stylist and mentor to the Ones-To-Watch designers, about their vision for the models they were hoping to cast;

“Because we have got four designers, we have to have a shared vision.  We have been looking for girls who have longer hair, are clean-faced and a nice height; in a sense, quite typical.   All the designers have really wonderful visions, but they are also open to growing and developing: we have some clear guidelines of what we’re looking for, but then sometimes you might see someone unusual who may change the casting for you.”

In order to find out who was chosen for the final shows, keep following the Vauxhall Fashion Scout blog.

Text and photographys by Abigail Gurney-Read

@AbbyGurneyRead

COLLECTION| Ubuntu International Project - AW12

Here at Vauxhall Fashion Scout, we are proud to support talent both homegrown, and international. This season the Ubuntu International Project brought London Fashion Week South African talent to showcase fair-trade, sustainably sourced craft, and provide a platform for their homegrown creatives. Seated at the show were members of mainstream fashion press, Grazia Daily, and online retailer - and supportive platform - Not Just a Label.

Showing with Ubuntu this season was Clinton Lotter, who showcased streamlined, suede, feminine pieces in midnight hues of blacks and electric blues. Ending the show- an egg shell blue, exposed-back dress. Next up- Frankli Wild, whose accessories were intricately beaded, and embellished onto the collection’s jet-black catsuits. Incorporating traditional African techniques with a contemporary edge. Jose Hendo’s bias-cuts  made for unique silhouettes and shapes, including a floor-length coat with oversized hood. An earthy palette of ochres, mustards, tomatoes and moss green gave it an authentic heritage feel. The final statement was made when models with T-shirts emblazoned with slogans:‘TRADE NOT AID’ ‘AFRO ECO ‘AFRICAN GROWN & SEWN’ ‘AFRICAN COTTON CROP 2 SHOP’ ‘100% MADE IN AFRICA’ and ‘LOVE FROM AFRICA’.

Second part of Ubuntu International Project was Focus Nigeria. Featuring Ayo Van Elma, showcasing traditionally, heritage pieces with African prints, and an incense aroma filling the show-space, making for an ambient catwalk experience. Zohi Taglit’s collection was an array of traditional, contrasting prints, paired with contemporary, street-wear inspired, thigh-skimming pleats, and volume-sleeves. Relaxed-fit, combat trousers styled with printed shirts, knotted at the waist daringly bared midriffs, and made for a nonchalant, kind of street "cool". Hints of traditional prints were worked into the collection, making for a stark contrast against the strategically placed pockets. Finally, House J’ola combined prints with hints of glamour in the form of sequins at the hems and waists, incorporating hot pinks into the mix to modernise the collection. The silhouettes were streamlined to the models figures and the cuts were feminine, clean and simple.

Sarah Jayne Potter VFS Contributor
Follow her @sarahhhhrah

Photography by Alina Negoita

ILLUSTRATION| Florian Jayet

An interpretation of Florian Jayet's beautiful AW12 collection, which was showcased at Vauxhall Fashion Scout yesterday, by VFS Illustrator Yiunam Leung.

COLLECTION| Phoebe English AW12

Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s Autumn/Winter ‘Merit Award’ Winner, Phoebe English has had the fashion media’s full attention since winning the coveted award. With her first solo-showcase, it was the young-designer’s first “all eyes on me” showing; a prospect that would have most ill at ease. However, this season, we saw something that proved entirely otherwise from the acclaimed designer.

Opening the show, maintaining previous seasons’ palettes- a mostly monochromatic affair- we saw English’s exploration of her treatment of rubber carry through into next season’s collection. However, skirts with planes of shivering sand-washed viscose, set against sculptural heavy knits carried a depth of texture that communicated English’s growth as a designer since her graduate showcase.

As more looks made their way down the runway, hemlines went from asymmetric, thigh-skimming, to full-length in translucent, stony rubber. Sticking with black, the contrasting, layered textures- with latticed, lacquered latex- became more drastic in their difference, proving English’s talent is in her ability to showcase textures with minimal colour- minimal, not “monochrome” being this season’s biggest difference.

Only last month, English confessed to ELLE’s Emily Cronin that she was uncomfortable with moving into “bolder” coloured territory; but not content in a place of safety, English pushed as far out of her “comfort zone” as tonally possible, with- quite literally- shocking pink. Bands of hot-pink, silk-screened gloss introduced a weightiness to the show’s previous viscose draping, enabling the all-black stoicism to transition into pink without looking “Barbie”. Still proving that a great deal of her skill is in experimental surface-textures, depth was added by way of the collection’s dense wool-uppers, and their fibre-glass finish produced by layers of fine, broken, rubber weave. If there’s anything to be learnt about English from her Autumn/ Winter collection, it’s that the ‘Merit Award’ winner’s future is likely as bright as her recent foray into colour- and that, is bright indeed.

Sara McAlpine (@sara_mcalpine)

Photography: Christopher Dadey

COLLECTION| A La Disposition AW12

In one of the Mason Yard’s many cavernous halls dark figures in top hats are dotted about like statues in a Geek garden, deliberately placed so it feels as though they surround you, as though when your back is turned they follow you around the room. The models are dressed uniformly, head to toe in quirky, Wilde-esque Victoriana ensembles and a man pristinely dressed in similar suit (as if one of the mannequins come to life) dashes between them making fastidious adjustments. 

A La Disposition are a husband and wife team; Daniel Kinne focuses on design and tailoring (he trained as a tailor in Carnaby Street), whilst Lynda Cohen Kinne decides textiles. Though there are obvious influences, Daniel maintains that there is no particular inspiration behind the work; it is more “a body of work that we build together”. The result is a definitive collection of pieces, from pantaloons to tailcoats and dresses that are well considered both in terms of texture and shape and as Daniel points out “Looks good in the Presentation format”. 

Daniel creates dramatic, exaggerated silhouettes; elongated sleeves that trail on the floor, big shoulders and hips, heavy draping, layered lapelles and the odd surprise in the detailing like cuffs around the ankles, giving bohemian allure. Lynda is responsible for the towering mad hatter top hats, which surprisingly she taught herself to make using an old 1980’s book on hat making found in the attic. Lynda’s fabrics are heavy and dark (the collection is called “Into the Gathering Dusk” after all), though there is depth in the darkness: Rich texture and contrasting geometric patterns, reversed black and white, which Daniel describes as their “x-ray theme”. One particular jacket is constructed from a fabric that shimmers revealing black crosses that then fade and disappear again. Daniel laughs in his warm American lilt, “The collection is the upbeat side of black”. 

Tradition and heritage are evident in the designs, which isn’t surprising when you learn that Daniel taught history of design at Parsons. However, he explains, “ In order to learn about the history of fashion, you must understand the history of the construction, pattern and cut of the designs”. The cut and tailoring of these pieces really is exquisite and the experimental mix of heritage and contemporary is progressive. 

Amy Jane Lockwood, VFS contributor. 

Photography by Natalia Ilina