Technology Tries Fashion on for Size

findSimilar software is revolutionizing the way that we shop for fashion items, photo courtesy of Cortexica 

             Madonna said it best when she sang, “You know that we are living in a material world, and I am a material girl.” Never has this phrase been more true than today, but now the material world has joined forces with the technological realm. It doesn’t look as though this power couple is about to break up any time soon either.

             Polyvore and Pinterest are both websites that allow us to find inspiration from sources all over the web to compile and compartmentalize our favorite trends, looks, and wish lists. Each user is able to customize the visuals to their own specified tastes, which is perhaps why these websites, and those similar, have become so popular.

An example of a set on Polyvore entitled "how to wear whites during the cooler months," photo courtesy of Polyvore

An example of a Pinterest board, photo courtesy of Pinterest

             With London Fashion Week last month, the swell of bloggers seen live Tweeting and simultaneously writing posts from the front row has now become the norm. Online live streaming of the catwalk shows was all the rage, allowing anyone to get in on the action with just the click of a button.

             Ralph Lauren’s runway show at New York Fashion Week was a 4-D spectacle, incorporating a wall of water shooting into the sky alongside holographic effects. This allowed models to strut their stuff with a backdrop of New York City attractions, such as the Brooklyn Bridge and the High Line.

The 4-D Ralph Lauren runway show at New York Fashion Week, photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Times

             Technology is a salient force in our lives and it really is about joining the bandwagon or being left behind. This brings me to talk about the emergence of new software that is helping to shape the way we view fashion as we know it. Created by computer science engineers at Imperial College London, findSimilar software allows you to take a photo of any fashion item, and then as the name suggests, find similar items.

Caught in the act!

My friend Florian very kindly let me "steal his style." Not just for women, findSimilar software caters to men as well!

             Fashion technology company, Cortexica, is getting ready to launch its findSimilar software within the mobile apps of some of the United Kingdom’s largest retailers. The software has already been sold to apps such as Style Thief, which is free to download from the App Store here.

 After snapping this jumpsuit from The Kooples, the results provided me with various other jumpsuit options and even showed me where to shop for them! 

             We have all had those moments where we spot someone in a crowd who is impeccably dressed. We admire their style, but usually are too timid to ask where they bought their hat, coat, cardigan, jacket, dress etc. As a woman, I also appreciate the art of a well-dressed man. Who wouldn’t fall for a sharply tailored suit? I’ll be the first to admit that I have inconspicuously snapped photos of various people’s shoes in the hopes of discovering a pair similar for myself. I usually scour various stores to no avail, but that’s where findSimilar software comes into its own.

             I tested the software out for myself to show you just how simple (and incredibly convenient!) it is to use. Whether you want to find an exact match, an equivalent with a designer price tag, or a cheaper alternative, findSimilar does all of the work for you. Women (and men!) the world over will be singing the praises of the Imperial College London team!

My outfit of the day; I'm currently loving the neon trend! Recreating my look just became easier than ever before.

             Street style is becoming an increasingly popular trend and an increasingly popular interest. Humans of New York, and the lesser-known Humans of London, both work on the principle of taking photos of people in general, not just their style. We are also shown a snippet of their personalities with the included interview exchange between photographer and subject. Everyday people can become celebrities in their own right. They welcome their fifteen minutes of fame and they have every right to! Everybody subconsciously wants to be noticed. London Fashion Week is a prime example of this. It comes with the territory that photographers will have their fingers hovering above their camera shutter, lying in wait to pounce on their next fashion prey.  

 A feel-good portrait captured by Brandon Stanton of Humans of New York, photo courtesy of Humans of New York

             I am constantly inspired by street style and by the photos I see in magazines. As a fashion blogger myself, it wouldn’t even be possible for me to post my outfits of the day without a camera, let alone a computer. My fashion blog and this blog are both forums where I can reach out to others in an online environment and connect in ways that would have been impossible before. Bloggers Love is a community that sets up events in London so that bloggers can meet face to face. They are launching the Bloggers Love Hub in November, which will be a space where bloggers can network, blog, and share advice and tips about blogging.

The Anya Hindmarch Spring/Summer 2015 collection was my favorite during London Fashion Week, photo courtesy of Anya Hindmarch

Now it's possible to shop the look and I found a French Connection replica for a very reasonable price!

             The common denominator that makes all of the things in this blog post possible? Technology. Who knows, perhaps one day you’ll end up as someone’s style inspiration. Take it as a compliment, because most likely they’re just trying to emulate your style. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and findSimilar have just made the imitating part a whole lot easier.

             Get snapping and be inspired!

I used a photograph from my style blog, A Stitch in Time, and was then matched with more luscious maroon outerwear

             Check out Cortexica’s website here to learn more about findSimilar technology. View my style blog, A Stitch in Time, here.

Access Granted: London Fashion Week

Sophie (right), a fellow Rightster intern, and myself (left) at Somerset House for London Fashion Week

             As all of you savvy fashionistas are aware of already, London Fashion Week is well underway and has been since September 12th. I am writing this from the Rightster offices in Covent Garden, where I am interning during this hectic week. As the official digital partner of the British Fashion Council and IMG Fashion, Rightster manages online video distribution and marketing. I am quickly learning that a lot of behind the scenes work goes into providing the public with the kind of coverage they wish to see during London Fashion Week. Even if you are unable to get that coveted front row spot, I have the solution: live streaming.

             All of the major magazines' online websites are doing it. All of the bloggers are doing it. Here at Rightster, we are viewing via a giant television, so now I provide to you your hassle-free way to watch London Fashion Week, brought to you live. Witness all of the action as it's happening in situ and even the inaction, where you can catch an inside glimpse of the who's who and what they're wearing. The beauty of it all? You don't even have to dress up, or leave your couch, if you don't want to. I envy you your blister-less feet. For the full show schedule, visit the London Fashion Week website here. Tune in for the Spring/Summer 2015 collections until September 16th.

             For the Temperley show live stream, please use this separate player to view it on September 14th at 14:00 U.K. time (GMT+1). 

Receiving My (Very Fashionable) Red Bull Wings

             We are soon to enter the February edition of London Fashion Week as Cupid draws his arrow on February 14th, making the event the sweetest and most stylish Valentine that you have ever had. Until its end on the 18th, London Fashion Week promises to be perpetually high-paced and fully charged. This is why a pre-Fashion Week pampering is an essential calm before the storm, and what better place to hold such an event than Red Bull Studios? We all know that a few of their energy drinks will be replacing our typical accessories as an outfit staple during the hectic comings and goings of the week.

             Hosted by The Show Space, a production company that focuses on events management, fashion show production, and casting and scouting, the Re-Treat all-day event on the 3rd and 4th of February proved to spoil and pamper us to perfection. The staff was friendly and attentive and director Nikki Sheldon was darting around in true professional form to both oversee the event and offer warm greetings. Elemis, ORLY, Browhaus, Sleep MakeUP, SP Men, SP Luxe, Nioxin, and Sebastian Professional all offered complimentary beauty treatments for guests. French Connection was also displaying their new fashion and home wear ranges and a digital photo booth served as a fun distraction, silly props optional!

Photo courtesy of The Show Space 

             During the event, I acquired a luscious goodie bag full of survival items and various vouchers to help soften the blow of a stressful week, containing absolute must-haves. I later received a Sleek MakeUP treasure trove of gems to experiment with and some Scaramouche and Fandango products for “the man in my life!”

             The Red Bull smoothie bar serving raspberry and blackcurrant and mango flavors plus an energy kick was enough to make me believe that Red Bull really does give you “wings!” There was no shortage of food nibbles and we were all very well looked after with pastries, popcorn, and later on, pizza. The relaxing atmosphere accomplished what it set out to achieve with its laid-back and breezy vibe and softly flowing conversation.

Photo courtesy of The Show Space

             I had booked myself in for an Elemis Stress Away shoulder and back massage, which was heavenly and left me floating my way over to the Sleek MakeUP counter for an eyebrow master class. There, the very lovely Olivia helped to straighten out my eyebrow ineptitude as she showed me the basics of filling them in to best flatter my face shape.

Photo courtesy of The Show Space

Showing off my impeccable eyebrows thanks to Olivia of Sleek MakeUP

             A select gathering, invitees were permitted to come and go as they pleased. After pre-arranged treatments, we were welcomed to stay a while longer and mingle with the rest of the group, cheekily grabbing a few Red Bulls or taking advantage of the ping pong table. The trendy milieu was devoted to its assembled guests through and through, and in turn, those guests were very grateful (myself included)!

Photo courtesy of The Show Space

             After speaking with a few of the models, staff, and representatives of the brands, I was able to connect with them outside the reigns of London Fashion Week and talk to them solely as people who were just as down to earth as the rest of us. London Fashion Week need not be about the superficiality that is aimed at us through media and news reports, but more about the subtle undertones of everyone bonding through a shared love of fashion. Therein lies the genuine source of what brings us together, but more importantly, keeps us together.

Photo courtesy of The Show Space

             I would like to give a big thank you to Nikki Sheldon for allowing me the opportunity to attend this event. Visit The Show Space website here, and for more information regarding London Fashion Week, see here. To read about my experience from London Fashion Week last September, have a look here, and for London Fashion Weekend, here.  

Photo courtesy of The Show Space