FRONT ROW| Rebekah Roy and Kate Nash

Vauxhall Fashion Scout were lucky enough to speak with familiar faces Rebekah Roy and Kate Nash in the front row at Ji Cheng. 

Kate Nash:

I’m wearing Ji Cheng today, I’ve just discovered her stuff - I love it.  I don’t really know what to expect from the show though, only good things though!   I think it’s really beautiful, right down to the invitations and the tea on the floor.  London is really nice in that it is really multicultural and embraces loads of different cultures; anything can be inspiring, so the more you’re exposed to things that are unlike what you know, the better.  

Rebekah Roy:

I completely agree.  A lot of the fabrics she uses, the way she layers the fabrics, and a lot of the lovely little details she uses are wonderful. We don’t live in a void, and with fashion we really don’t want to. Ji Cheng is a huge designer in China, but when she comes here it’s like she’s starting again: that is the flip-side for when someone starts. There’s a huge market for Chinese designers to come to Europe and to England.  Super-brands have been going to Asia for quite a while, so it’s about time that we see the reverse happen.  

Interview by Abigail Gurney-Read

SPONSOR| Toni&Guy return to Vauxhall Fashion Scout as Official Backstage Hair Stylists

Toni & Guy, long-term Sponsors of Vauxhall Fashion Scout are back for S/S13, creating amazing looks for the next generation of designers at London Fashion Week. 

With over 30 shows, the backstage teams have their work cut out for them, with a range of contrasting looks and hundreds of models, the Toni & Guy stylists are working directly with designers to bring their collections to life on the catwalk. In a spare moment amidst the madness, we caught up with one of the fantastic backstage team, to discuss favourite designers, inspirations and seasons past and present.

Hi Emma, It's great to have you back at Vauxhall Fashion Scout, what is it that keeps bringing you back?

Vauxhall Fashion Scout is great because you get to see young designers ideas, see how trends are moving forward every season, and for me as a hairdresser- I like to link my work and hair in to fashion, so it gives me lots of inspiration and ideas on how I can progress my own work.

What’s been your favourite show to work for?

I’m working on Manuela Dack later today and I’m really exited for that, her collection is absolutely stunning and the hairs going to look beautiful.

How do you feel as VFS as a platform for upcoming designers?

It’s a great way for new designers to show their work and hopefully start developing themselves into the industry. We bring the hair concepts and hopefully try and develop hair that really compliments the designers collections, so that they tell a full story. 

To find out more about Toni & Guy, their involvement with Vauxhall Fashion Scout and to find a salon near you, click here to visit their website. 

Interview by Maaike Dijkstra

Images from Dani Farrow, Hannah Wilson and Asia Werbel 

INTERVIEW| Caryn Franklin at Ji Cheng

Guests are filing in to the Ji Cheng show and there is a lot of excitement to see one of China's biggest names showcase her Spring Summer '13 collection here at Vauxhall Fashion Scout. The highly respected Caryn Franklin was in attendance and was looking forward to the seeing the designer's newest works. VFS caught up with her to see what she has been impressed with so far and what she thinks of Vauxhall Fashion Scout. 

VFS: Hi Caryn, so what have you seen so far at London Fashion Week?

CF: “I saw Jean Paul yesterday and for me it really set the standard and I thought it was fantastic. Sometimes things just have an energy and you can't intellectualise about why something is just going to fly.”

VFS: And what do you think about Vauxhall Fashion Scout as a platform for emerging designers?

CF: “Well it has just grown every season, Martyn has each time just improved on what was there before so it has just become a respected force and outlet for new design talent and emerging designers. Looking at the schedule, it's packed! I remember when they went and brought over the chinese, they were visionary in that really because they did it about 3 years ago and now of course everybody is looking at them. They have all the factories and merchant class already for them to launch their own fashion houses.”

By Katie Agar (@katie_agar)  

Photography by Kevin Chesnais

FRONT ROW| An interview with Editor of Vogue China Angelica Cheung at Ji Cheng

Pre-show at Ji Cheng, Vauxhall Fashion Scout were delighted to speak with Editor-In-Chief of Chinese Vogue, Angelica Cheung, who was sat on the front-row.

“I expect a good show.  We have been following her collection from the beginning.  She has talked to us and we gave her some suggestions, and the other editors at Vogue also helped a bit in terms of giving some styling advice; but it’s really just her and her ideas.  Back home, everybody wants her to be successful.  I like her idea of drawing inspiration from Chinese Tea Culture - I’m glad to see that modern Chinese designers will make an effort to find their inspiration in Chinese Culture.  

There’s a huge rise in the popularity of Chinese designers, because China is now in the limelight and every aspect of its market and fashion is getting a lot of attention.  At Vogue China we do a lot of projects with international colleagues; we have an exchange programme with Anna Wintour and CFDA, between Chinese designers and American designers.  We have a Vogue Talents corner that originated from working with Italian Vogue, and we have various Chinese designers supporting our projects.  There are a lot of people with a lot of good will; they want to get involved and they want to see a new generation of Chinese designers doing well.  It’s a very interesting time for Chinese young designers.”     

Interview by Abigail Gurney-Read
Images by Kevin Chesnais

COLLECTION| Ji Cheng S/S13

A soothing oriental soundtrack played over an expressive video for the opening of Ji Cheng’s ‘Teaism’ collection. The film depicted the global significance of tea culture, highlighting that the once ancient Chinese tradition of tea making has grown into a worldwide practice. Cheng’s Spring/Summer 13 collection takes inspiration from the unifying quality of tea culture, which has travelled from East to West, uniting different cultures along its path. In a similar manner, Cheng unites East and West by blending the Eastern theme of tea with Western tailoring.

Models floated down the runway scattered with tea wearing soft silks and organic cotton. The colour palette was natural, ranging from shades of green, taupe, black and white. Cheng played with texture by integrating tassels and delicate pleats into garments. Tasteful high neck tops and dresses echoed the refined reputation of tea making as “the most dignified way to entertain guests.”

Whilst the collection is reserved, it is simultaneously sensual; sheer silks and dresses with deep V backs revealed flesh with sensitivity. Peplum shapes emphasised the hips, praising the female silhouette. Understated colours and fabrics were contrasted with dramatic shapes and makeup. Ample skirts, conical bamboo hats and vibrant geisha makeup brought vivacity to Ji Cheng’s otherwise exquisitely subtle collection.

Text by Jennie Watson

Images by Kevin Chesnais

CATWALK| One's To Watch: Full Catwalk Looks

Hellen Van Rees

Charlotte Simpson

Charlotte Simpson / Hana Cha

Hana Cha

Ming Pin Tien

The full line-up of Vauxhall Fashion Scout's One To Watch is here; Hellen Van Rees, Charlotte Simpson, Hana Cha & Ming Pin Tien took to the catwalk on Saturday 15th September for the first time ever, showcasing the best in innovation British design talent. 

Hand-picked by the VFS Selection Panel of industry experts including Vogue.co.uk, Browns, CFE, Avenue 32, Not Just A Label and POP Magazine, the One's To Watch designers highlight the potential of emerging design talent. 

For an in-depth Catwalk summary on each designer, click the names above. 

Images by Simon Armstrong

ONES TO WATCH| Hellen van Rees S/S13

Ones To Watch: Hellen Van Rees SS13 Catwalk Show from VAUXHALL FASHION SCOUT on Vimeo.

Hellen Van Rees’ Ones To Watch collection of distinct three-dimensional weaved cubes adorning traditional womenswear pieces concluded the for Ones to Watch designer showcase.

The handmade crafted textile, which consists of one hundred percent recycled materials, formed a collection directly inspired by Chanel tweeds and artworks by Anish Kapoor and Rachel Whitbread. Despite their presence being overwhelming to the eye, worn as headwear, cuffs and shoulder details, the underlying 1920s silhouette was feminine and slick.

Monochromatic lines softened with pastel washes of lime and lemon made a punchy impact alongside box jackets that sat prominently from the body, but flapper style dresses that sported distressed ripple effect weaves calmed the overall vibe. Impressing us with her seamless craftsmanship skills, Hellen Van Rees has once again implanted her signature style in our minds with this current collection.

Text by Freya Hill (@Freyahilltalkin)
Images by Kevin Chesnais

ONES TO WATCH| Hana Cha S/S13

Ones To Watch: Hana Cha SS13 Catwalk Show from VAUXHALL FASHION SCOUT on Vimeo.

As the clock struck eleven, midnight magic flooded the Hana Cha catwalk, her monochromatic fringed collection sashaying with soft movement. Reinventing the masculine trouser suit with silks and dip dyed chiffons, harrowing string music accompanied models that wore their hair in professional tousled buns at the nape of their neck.

Innocent scatters of star shaped embellishment and flecks of ink softened the ying-yang vision, paying homage to a twinkling night sky. Against bare arms and oversized cuffs, fringing naturally swayed about the body, mirrored by overly long garment belts tied loosely at the hip. Our eyes were continually being encouraged to acknowledge the entire female form.

True to her developing style that saw Cha win the Womenswear Collection of the Year at the LCF Victoria & Albert show, heavy androgynous tailoring layered over sheer black chiffon dresses teased the eye as they hung lower than waistcoats and shorts. Bias cut jumpsuits with a dropped waist injected a hint of modern, reminding us again why Cha is one of Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s One To Watch designers.

Text by Freya Hill (@Freyahilltalkin)

Images by Kevin Chesnais