Kingston MA Fashion Open Studios

Kingston's prestigious Fashion MA is hosting a series of open studio events at their Knights Park Campus, presenting both past and present students portfolios, allowing people to discover the course and inspire future generations.

Course Director Nancy Tilbury, who is hosing the events, is an expert in the field of wearable technologies, prospective students are welcome to come by and talk to tutors. 

The open study next dates will be: 22/06  14/07  27/07. 

To reserve a place on any of the dates listed contact a.bolton@kingston.ac.uk

or go to Kingston´s website http://www.kingston.ac.uk/postgraduate-course/fashion-ma/

Juan Mora Yanes

Vauxhall Fashion Scout visits Yohji Yamamoto´s exposition in Victoria and Albert Museum

Long admired for his challenging works, the story of controversial fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto and his designs are on display for the first time at the Victoria and Albert Museum.  For a man who has been on the fashion scene for decades creating scandal and revolution with each move, the exhibition is a chance to celebrate 30 years of ups and downs of Yohji Yamamoto and his career. 

To know of a designer’s collections is to skim the top of something much deeper; you need to understand his meaning, his philosophy. Before viewing the exhibition I ‘enjoyed’ his designs, but now having read, watched and examined every inch of Yohji’s thinking I can truly appreciate the genius that he is. The exhibition holds over 60 garments, footage of catwalk shows, clips of film collaborations, shoe and accessory collaborations, books containing his philosophical ideas, catalogues of his collections, interviews, music albums, intimate photos. 

Úna Burke awarded Designer of the Year at the Irish Fashion Innovations Awards

Congratulations to Úna Burke, who was awarded Designer of the Year at the Irish Fashion Innovations Awards on Tuesday night.

The Vauxhall Fashion Scout designer is renown for her leather creations and this award signifies Úna’s recognition as an outstanding design talent. The technically challenging pieces are inspired by medieval war armour and medical braces, yet are extremely wearable without alienating the original concept. As stated by Úna herself, “They are free to exist just as the objects that they are, interpreted independently by each individual.”

Well done Úna! 

Juan Mora Yanes

Vauxhall Fashion Scout interview's LN-CC

London based concept store LN-CC mixes emerging and established labels in new and exciting ways. A unique combination of womenswear and menswear makes for unisex shopping, and the appointment only store strives to push the boundaries of the retail experience. Taking a tour through the wooden architecture, Vauxhall Fashion Scout interview the people behind the concept…

What is the concept behind LN-CC, and where did the idea come from?

The concept behind LN-CC is basically to mix classical, directional European designers, with new wave brands and Japanese labels. We are very happy and proud to be working with these brands. We try to acquire more and more brands, to ensure we keep on being relevant, gathering good quality products. We constantly need to be moving forward and keeping ahead of new or emerging labels.

Vauxhall Fashion Scout Opens Applications for LFW Sept 2011!

 

 

 

 

The search begins for the best innovative designers as Vauxhall Fashion Scout, London’s leading independent showcase, opens its applications for London Fashion Week September 2011 and Paris Fashion Week October 2011!

Renowned for showcasing some of London’s most successful talents including Peter Pilotto, David Koma, Felicity Brown, Maria Francesca Pepe, Cooperative Designs, Iris Van Herpen and William Tempest, Vauxhall Fashion Scout is LFW’s leading international platform for both Off and On-Schedule designers.

Permanently located in Freemasons’ Hall, Covent Garden, the event runs for the full length of LFW and features multiple show spaces including two catwalk halls, exhibition hall and media lounge.

Applications open on Tuesday 12^th April 2011 to womenswear, menswear and accessory designers for

·       Catwalk

·       Presentations

·       Salon Shows

·       Exhibition

·       Paris Showroom

We are also excited to announce that application are open for VFS’s acclaimed awards - Merit Award, Ones To Watch and the newly launched Ones To Watch MEN.

The Merit Award offers a fully sponsored catwalk show and specially tailored mentoring and business support to winning designers for three consecutive seasons. Attracting leading international press and buyers, the prestigious Merit Award has previously launched William Tempest, David Koma, Hermione de Paula, Eudon Choi and Georgia Hardinge into the fashion spotlight.

Ones To Watch is a highly acclaimed platform designed specifically to launch the freshest new talents to the market in a collaborative back-to-back showcase. Providing designers with their first opportunity to show to a UK and international audience and with dedicated exhibition space in London, Ones To Watch has quickly become the leading showcase for the next generation of design talent.

We will also be opening applications for Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s Paris Showroom, located next to the Picasso Museum in the heart of the Marais.

To show at Vauxhall Fashion Scout, designers must have reached the creative and business level required for an event of this stature. Successful designers will be selected by our panel of leading industry experts and will be judged on their creativity, quality and business potential.

Applications open on Tuesday 12^th April 2011 and close on Monday 23^rd May 2011.

For further information please visit www.vauxhallfashionscout.com and to request an application form please contact show@vauxhallfashionscout.com.

Good luck!

Bunmi Koko selected to show at New York Fashion Week

Having shown her AW11/12 collection with Vauxhall Fashion Scout back in February, a few weeks later designer Bunmi of Bunmi Koko, went on to show at Arise magazine’s fashion week in, Lagos, Nigeria. 


The fashion scene in Africa has continued to flourish, with more and more designers being scouted for their creative designs rich in cultural influences. 


Here in the UK Bunmi’s vibrant collection was highly praised by industry and followers. We all remember the excitement that followed the show. A stunning array of flattering dresses in fearless colours and patterns brought some euphoria to fashion week; cheesy but true - Bunmi gave us a bit of Africa. With a rich cultural background of bold colours and tribal patterns, Bunmi has taken inspiration from her homeland and translated this into her innovative designs. 


Taking her collection to Nigeria’s biggest fashion event, Bunmi Koko was greatly awarded for her efforts. Out of over 50 designers there at Arise fashion week, Bunmi was one of five to be chosen to represent Africa at New York fashion week this September; in her own words; “It is just really rewarding after all the work we put in each season.” Well deserved we say. 


Louisa Kilburn

Vauxhall Fashion Scout Announces London & Paris Fashion Week Dates

Vauxhall Fashion Scout are pleased to announce the dates for London Fashion Week S/S 2012, held at the Freemason’s Hall on September 16^th-21^st.

Our applications for our Exhibition, Catwalk, Presentations and our Paris Showroom will be opening really soon…we’re happy to confirm that our Paris Showroom will run from September 29th  to October 4^th.

Maria Francesca Pepe: AW11 Lookbook

It seems long ago now, but it was only last month that Maria Francesca Pepe presented her A/W11 collection at VFS. Her collection caused quite a stir, featuring bondage style headwear and a monochrome palette of angelic versus demonic garments in delicate chiffon. Maria entitled her A/W11 collection Fortuna; Fortuna was a roman Goddess who possessed the power over mankind’s fate. It was quite fitting that her nymph like creatures were positioned about the presentation room like roman statues. This theme was carried through into her look book.

Pandora Lennard of Tank magazine, who has styled for Maria before, has styled the A/W11 look book. The back drop for the gothic photo shoot was our very own catwalk/presentation space in the Freemasons Hall, a place in itself full of mystery. With heavy white light beaming out from behind the mystic creature, it seems as though she has emerged from somewhere unknown to mankind. This angelic nymph shows her evil side however, from white delicate chiffon adorned with gold and glittering jewellery, to black leather and demonic head pieces; Maria’s juxtaposed collection represents this Goddess Fortuna who dealt fortune out in extremes; either very good or very bad.

Other stunning imagery of Maria’s collection to emerge is that produced by Ellen Rogers. Maria told VFS’s blogger Charlotte Summers how she wanted to create a “magical and enchanting fairytale” with this collection. Taken on the day of Maria’s presentation Ellen has created this fairytale story but in a dark almost twisted way. Utilising the endless eerie rooms of our London fashion week venue the Freemasons Hall, the location adds that spine tingling feel to photos of satanic creatures and saintly nymphs. The imagery has been perfectly edited to enhance this feeling as though we have stumbled across some kind of cult and been allowed to observe.

Already stocked across the globe and with endless praise from the press, we all anticipate her next collection; if only September weren’t so far away.

www.mfpepe.com/

Louisa Kilburn

Asger Juel Larsen : Uncle Sam AW 11 Lookbook

The bolshie London College of Fashion graduate stormed the London Fashion Week menswear stage this February during our Ones To Watch group showcase. Grunge, fetish, deconstruction, and American military history were clearly the ideas influencing his debut collection as each look emerged telling a story, bold and daring. 

This week, fresh from the cutting room comes Asger’s AW 11 lookbook. At once theatrical and understated, set mainly against a blank canvas, it allows the heavy-duty looks to speak for themselves as they flaunt the tension between sexuality, violence and melancholy that amalgamate in Asger’s work.

Asger’s innovative attitude toward design epitomises what the Ones To Watch initiative is all about. It is playful, courageous and filled to the brim with attitude. 

We think the lookbook is both gritty and highly stylised, much like Asger’s catwalk show, and almost has us wishing it was Autumn / Winter 11 already. ...Almost.

Lara Angol

Photography : Ellis Scott
Model : Jordan Gene Bowen
MUA : AC Rino assisted by Marco Storm Braskov

Paris Showroom

 

 

Sadly there is only one day left of our Paris Showroom. Fortunately are open until 17.00 tomorrow (Tuesday 8th) so come visit us at Galerie Odile Ouizeman, before its too late!!

 

Galerie Odile Ouizeman,

10-12 Rue Des Coutures,

Saint-Gervais 75003.

 

Amy Finch

ELLE Report : Georgia Hardinge

It wasn't at all a surprise that one of Fashion Scout's brightest stars and this seasons Merit Award winner, Georgia Hardinge was featured on ELLE UK following her show last month. After a packed out show and plenty of positive press we were delighted to see that Elle's Emma Sells also shares our excitement about the budding designer, as she tells her readers, "Remember her name - she’s going to go far".

We couldn't agree more!

Yasmin Kianfar on Vogue.com

Hailed as a name to watch, Yasmin Kianfar, has recently been featured on Vogue.com. Talking about her collection at Browns Focus, Yasmin explains to Ella Alexander the ideas behind her Spring/Summer 2011 collections. The store's womenswear buyer, Rebecca Osei-Baidoo, said of the collection: "I think this made her stand out from the rest... She's very talented and we're looking forward to see what her autumn/winter 2011 collection is like!"




To read the interview in full go to: http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/110302-yasmin-kianfar-stocked-at-browns--.aspx
Amy Finch

LFW Round Up

Here at Fashion Scout we are both excited and sad to see the end of London Fashion Week, which routinely seems to rush by faster than you can say "Can I get a street style photo of you?". This season has been amazing for the exposure of both the debuting and returning emerging designers who've shown in the exhibition and catwalk space. In fact this week has been particularly eventful as not only did we celebrate our 10th season as London's largest off schedule event, but for the very first time at Fashion Scout we saw Men's Ones To Watch and were thrilled to see it gain an equally enthusiastic reception as our Womenswear initiative.

To round up, as we delve straight into Paris Fashion Week preparations, we've selected some of our favorite images captured around the Fashion Scout venue throughout the week. See you in Paris!

 Natalia Ilina

 Lucas Seidenfaden

LFW Day 6 MENS - Ones To Watch : Asger Juel Larsen

Asger Juel Lersen provided a show-stopping finale for our week of spectacular shows. His collection of daring, audacious garments and jewellery is exactly what we love to see from innovative designers using their creative genius to shock and excite us. Each look was bold, with some styling producing a wearable concept and others creating a work of art.

 

The collection entitled ‘Uncle Sam’ had a variety of American flags in washed out burgundy and navy, then in black and white leather. The use of the stars and stripes in combination with the dark theme makes reference to Asger’s negative perception of the American Dream. The use of leather, zips, chains, steel, long spike studs, crucifixes, high collars, straight jackets and bones threw the audience into Camden high street or an old Victorian work house.

The first look consisted of a long, black over coat with an extended asymmetric collar covering the lower face. There were swathes of leather whipping from one shoulder and the model wore a top hat appliquéd with large crucifixes. The hat had a chain hanging down and around the chin, which was a common feature on hats in the show. There were garments that wrapped around the body engulfing the torso in leather and fastenings. Then there were pieces that left little to the imagination with thighs and midriffs on show through corseted gaps in leather and denim. The show contained a happy medium between avant-garde costumes and wearable items such as large cowl neck knitwear and bronze washed jeans. The accessories highlighted the Native American chief influence with their Aztec necklace and feathered headpiece. A small splash of colour was found in the boots where Asger collaborated with ‘Underground Footwear’. The huge sack-like, back-packs were a highlight of the show and a desirable, trend driven piece this season.

The models had religious or tribal tattoos, some real; others painted on. This added to each character’s defiant grunge quality. They would all have been at home as a character in a gothic but glamorous and possibly homoerotic play, likewise a Tim Burton film.

Words : Charlotte Summers
Images : Lucas Seidenfaden