NEWS| Fashion Scout Designers Shortlisted for the MUUSE x Vogue Talents Young Vision Award

We're excited to announce that Fashion Scout designers Vita Gottlieb and Liz Black have been selected and put through to the first stage in the Muuse x Vogue Talents Young Vision Womenswear award.

Every year, Vogue Talents partner with MUUSE to present the MUUSE x Vogue Talents Young Vision Award in which upcoming designers submit their work. From these initial entries, 50 semi-finalists are put to public vote before Vogue's Senior Fashion Editor Sara Maino selected the winner.

With a prize that includes designing a capsule collection under the MUUSE label to be sold on their website and a selection of retailers, it's a fantastic opportunity for the winner.

During our AW14 showcase, designs from both Gottlieb and Black hit the Fashion Scout runway, presenting collections that stuck to the standout aesthetic they've both become known for. Whilst Gottleib's ‘Caged’ collection reinterpreted the skin as both a covering and a cage, Black's collection was a tribute to the surrealist art icon Dali.

To vote for the designers, as well as see the other talent that has made it through, click here.

By Josh Walker, Editor, (@josh_walker_)
Images by Sim D and Lepa Georgievska.

PARIS SHOWROOMS| Day One Highlights AW14

As Day One of our Paris Showroom comes to an end, we look back on today's highlights. From Liz Black, whose collection, inspired by Salvador Dali, introduced itself in the form of a presentation during our Freemasons' Hall AW14 showcase in London to the strong, art and architecture inspired pieces from Yasya Minochkina, the talent has been impressive through and through.

Also including the work of recent LVMH Award finalist Hellen van Rees, with her tweed, straightforward designs as well as our Merit Award winner Xiao Li, the showrooms have already attracted a number of industry individuals and we look forward to what the second day brings. 

Our showroom will be open tomorrow morning from 10am - 7pm and is situated in the heart of Paris at 23 Rue de Sicile, Paris, 75004. 

By Josh Walker, (@josh_walker_), Editor.

Photos by Hannah Farrell, (@HFazzzz).

INTERVIEW| Liz Black AW14

Liz Black has returned for another season with Fashion Scout. Appearing on the catwalk in London, Paris, Istnabul and Warsaw- she’s gained quite the following, which was verified today in the packed out Prince Regent Room. Fashion Scout spoke to the Central Saint Martins graduate to see how she’s doing and to get the information on her latest, and arguably best collection.

How are you feeling about your AW14 presentation today?

I am so excited! I do not feel nervous at all, to be honest I haven’t been nervous since my very first season.

What was your inspiration for this collection?

It is completely based on the work and life of Salvador Dali. I spent some time in Paris last year and there was a Salvador Dali exhibition at the Pompei centre. I was in heaven. I loved it and since then I have been developing the collection.

We can see you’ve chosen a selected few of Salvadors most iconic pieces, what was the selection process?

I wanted to choose the most iconic ones. Salvador Dali was an iconic character and I wanted this collection to be full of iconic characters through work and life. One if his most famous pieces is the lobster phone, so we have a lobster dress. It’s the same with the lips, we have a lips sofa and dress and a moustache dress.

And you’ve got the ants on the face too! They’re great.

Yes they’re amazing aren’t they? They have come from collaboration with Face Lace; they designed the ant stickers especially for the show. The head designer is Phyllis Cohen.

How do you feel you’ve progressed since last season?

I always work with narratives but last season I just focused on work, this time I have focused on the life and work of Salvador Dali. I have tried to encompass his whole life into this presentation and allow everyone to meet Salvador Dali, I think he would be very happy with it.

So do we! Liz Black brought to us a truly interesting and astounding presentation that fully renders Dali’s work and character.

By Emily Black, (@emilyy_black)

Images by Lepa Georgievskalepa (@georgievskalepa), taken on the fashion forward LumixGM1, (@PanasonicUK)

COLLECTION| Liz Black AW14

Liz Blacks’ Fashion Scout presentation was a captivating tribute to a surrealist art icon. On entering the presentation, guests are greeted by an array of familiar objects. A Dali inspired red lips sofa is sat in the centre of the space, with a vintage telephone and an egg sculpture placed on plinths on either side of it. Behind the sofa stands a larger than life photograph of Dali, set out in three columns giving an almost 3-Dimensional effect to the image which in its front column sports a giant sized Dali moustache. Two giant eggs are situated in the back corners of the presentation space, complete with faint cracks down their centres. Prior to the start of the show guests are invited to interact with the area, they are given the opportunity to sit on the sofa and pose for photographs with an array of hand held Dali inspired props.

As the show begins, we see two models rip through the centre of the giant eggs, they emerge in Dali inspired outfits, the first in a nude, mesh layered design, paying homage to Dali’s Lobster telephone. The second model is dressed in a camel, leather dress, complete with a 3-Dimensional black leather moustache. It becomes clear at this point that this a performance rather than a show, the models eerily move across the space, in jolty movements, they interact with all of the elements in the presentation creating a mood of tension and anticipation. More models emerge through the cracks of the eggs, all draped in Dali. We are treated to telephone and lips inspired looks as well as a black leather ensemble. Models, complete with bug printed faces, wear diamante eyes and lips on their hands and interact with this feature, covering each others eyes and mouths with their hands.

Throughout the presentation a spectral mood is achieved through the models movements and styling, its a all encompassing experience, with a fun interactive element that was hugely successful in its execution.

By Charlotte Muscat, (@CharlotteLM9)

Images by Lepa Georgievska (@Georgievskalepa), taken on the fashion forward LumixGM1 (@PanasonicUK). 

NEWS| Scottish Fashion Awards 2013 nominees Pam Hogg, Jennifer Morris and Liz Black

Tonight, the 8^th annual Scottish Fashion Awards takes place in London’s Dover House. Hosted by Fashion Scout front row regular Laura Whitmore a number of high profile names are amongst the shortlist, which includes Christopher Kane, Jonathan Saunders, Louise Gray and Fashion Scout designers Pam Hogg. Liz Black and Jennifer Morris.

Pam Hogg and Liz Black are nominated for the Creative Excellence accolade, whilst Jennifer Morris is up for the Young Designers award.

The event will provide an incredible platform for Scotland’s finest designers, emerging talent, textile manufacturers, and fashion players for the nations most high profile celebration of fashion and style; and the Awards shine a global spotlight on Scottish work and honour those high profile global brands that continue to use Scottish cashmere and textiles within their own collections.

The event is renowned for its string of high profile guests to include celebrities, models, designers, fashion figures and dignitaries; and this years finalists will be judged by a panel of leading fashion professionals, including 2012 Fashion Ambassador award winner Colin McDowell.

Best of luck to all nominees but particularly to our designers (yes we're biased!)

By Cass Gowing, Editor. @CassGowing

Photographs by Tracy Asslanian, from Jennifer Morris' Lookbook and Jamike Latif

PARIS SHOWROOMS| Liz Black SS14

Amongst the stellar line up of designers showcasing at Fashion Scout Paris next week, we have Central Saint Martins graduate – Liz Black.

Renowned for her creativity, portrayed with a minimalist aesthetic, Liz Black’s collections are elegant and distinctly feminine with impeccable structure and timeless appeal. The Liz Black woman is a daring, yet elegant dresser – cosmopolitan, sophisticated and refined.

Her previous collections have taken inspiration from the wonderland of Lewis Carol’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’; and Liz has previously dressed a string of celebrities including Lady Gaga. 

Photography by Jamike Latif, @JamikeLatif

COLLECTION| Liz Black SS14

Created in 2010, the Liz Black label reflects conceptual creativity with a minimal and elegant aesthetic. Its focus is on the wearable statement pieces with a timeless appeal, emphasising chic and impeccably tailored structures that complement the feminine silhouette.

For SS14, Central Saint Martins graduate Liz Black presents her sixth ready-to-wear collection entitled “Perceive/Deceive”.

Optical prints and Liz’s further experimentation with form and structure distort the visual and the physical to create a sensation of depth, texture and movement. Sleek silhouettes and structural pieces combine to accentuate the female form, drawing you in and constantly surprising with deceptive detail and effects, while staying true to the minimalist and elegant aesthetic for which Liz is known.

Liz’s signature abstract prints mesh seamlessly with a bold colour palette that incorporates a wide spectrum of blues, yellows, greens and greys to make each piece a unique work of art.

Liz has succeeded in producing an interesting and thought-provoking collection of statement pieces for the independent, fashion-forward woman.

Follow us on Twitter @FashionScout #FashionScout

By Georgia Hathaway, Contributor. Follow me on Twitter: @GeorgiaHathaway.
Photography by Jamike Latif @JamikeLatif

BACKSTAGE| Liz Black SS14

Liz Black Backstage

The creative process is in full swing backstage at Liz Black and following Liz Black’s incredible AW13 collection inspired by both the innocence and chaos of Lewis Caroll’s fantasy world, Alice in Wonderland; her SS14 collection is destined to be impressive.

The Liz Black woman is sophisticated, independent and cosmopolitan – an intellectual and empowered woman. With this in mind both The Body Shop and Tony&Guy teams have been working hard to achieve the perfect aesthetic for today’s exhibition in the Prince Regent room at Freemasons Hall.

The Body Shop have opted for strong geometrical lines and heavy contouring. Eyebrows are blocked and shadow comes in the shape of bold Cobalt Blue and The Body Shop Colour Crush shadow in ‘Blue Over You’, to complement the colors used in the collection. Cheek bones are highlighted and lips are high-gloss.

Alongside The Body Shop, Tony&Guy have also been working closely with the collection in order to mirror the pattern on the garments, in the hair. The concept of movement and the illusion of movement play a big part in Liz’s SS14 collection, so texture and separation are the key components to the final style.

Follow us on Twitter @FashionScout #FashionScout

By Brooke McCord, Fashion Scout Contributor, Follow me on Twitter @BrookeMcCord

Photographs by Jamike Latif @JamikeLatif

SS14 PREVIEW| Fashion Scout London Designers Part 1

Apu Jan 

Basharatyan V

Hellen van Rees

Krystof Strozyna

Liz Black

Lulu Liu

Every season the Fashion Scout blog give an exclusive preview to the SS14 collections that will be showcased during London Fashion Week at Freemason's Hall. As a two part blog post, here are the lookbook, sketches and samples of what's to come from the following Fashion Scout London September 2013 designers:

Apu Jan 

Basharatyan V

Hellen van Rees

Krystof Strozyna

Liz Black

Lulu Liu

Fashion Scout London runs throughout London Fashion Week on Friday 13th September - Tuesday 18th September at Freemason's Hall. To view the full schedule visit our website.