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). 

The 1975: All Hail the Rectangle (A Tribute in Black and White)

The 1975’s frontman, Matthew Healy, performing at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire with drummer George Daniel 

             I regret to inform you that I might have attended my last gig for The 1975 for a while. I probably shouldn’t even coin the term “gig” anymore, because The 1975 have well and truly transitioned to playing sold-out concerts. I have tracked my journey with them religiously on this blog. Albeit, I had not started this blog when I attended my first gig of theirs at Camden Barfly, but my second gig experience can be found here and my third here. That makes this post a celebration of my fourth at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on September 20th. 

             Do not take my resignation from seeing The 1975 perform live as a newly developed aversion to their sound; quite the contrary! I am just not a big fan of pushy, obnoxious crowds and lightweight drunk teenagers that seem to frequent the shows. When you have experienced a band on such an intimate basis in a room full of attentive listeners, like I have with The 1975, some of the magic and innocence is stripped away as a result when you see them on a grander scale. Nothing will ever compare to the early days of The 1975 and the interaction with and close proximity to band members Matthew Healy, Adam Hann, George Daniel, and Ross MacDonald, but I couldn’t think of a band more worthy of the success.

The 1975’s bassist, Ross MacDonald

             The 1975 released their flawless (and I do mean flawless) debut album, The 1975, on September 2nd and they are quickly becoming a household name. I can hardly visit a tube station that doesn’t have posters plastered of their album artwork or turn on the television without seeing someone grilling Healy for the origin of the band’s name for the umpteenth time. The public has been immensely receptive of The 1975’s sound and understandably so. In embracing a mishmash of genres, The 1975 caters to everyone’s musical tastes. I often spend my mornings in my flat bopping around with my breakfast and belting out lyrics to their songs. This only continues on throughout the day as I make the commute to and from university and when I fall asleep at night.

The 1975’s guitarist, Adam Hann

             The O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire had already generated a large line of eager patrons when I arrived and we were either ushered into the designated stalls or seated areas. I personally chose to subject myself to the stalls and fourth row from the front is not a bad placement at all. If only I were a couple of inches taller, then it would have been ideal. The 1975 were accompanied by special guests, MMX and Night Engine, and I will openly admit that I am typically not a fan of opening acts. That is why MMX pleasantly surprised me.

             Originally known as the band Francesqa, MMX broke up and reformed under their new name. The band consists of members Ashley Wilkie, Warren Senior, Ben Hordos, and Tom Millar, and what a gifted bunch they are. From the outset, Wilkie’s croons were enough to have me transfixed as he caressed the microphone with fervor and intensity. Thudding beats and streamlined vocals from the broody and sleek-haired Wilkie form the basis for MMX’s sound. Not only did the quartet rejuvenate my faith in opening acts, but their two EPs, Child and Heir, have been on incessant repeat on my iPod ever since the show.

MMX’s lead singer, Ashley Wilkie, exuding unique stage presence during the opening act

             Wilkie interchanged from suggestive slurs to provocative pleas in his lyrics and his mannerisms oozed hedonism in the best possible use of the word. As an audience member, I felt as if I was overstepping into his private world with the hypnotic jutting of his head and the way he forlornly placed his arm over the microphone to obscure his face. Wilkie was a guilty pleasure to watch, and to be quite frank, I don’t think he realized the full extent of his rugged charm on the audience. In MMX’s song, “Tremor,” Wilkie laments, “I’m so sorry that I made you suffer,” but in my eyes, all MMX had to apologize for was the suffering I was about to endure after their set ended. 

             Nothing could have prepared me for Night Engine, although in hindsight, anyone following MMX would have paled in comparison. Formed in 2012, the band is fairly new on the scene and I actually couldn’t even track down the last names of members Phil, Dom, Ed, and Lee. Frontman Phil had what could only be described as a jarring stage presence, which was highly distracting from Night Engine’s overall delivery. While Phil’s vocals have been likened to David Bowie, and admittedly there is a disco-dance vibe resemblance, that is where the similarities should end. 

             I am not one to bash upcoming talent, but when a band sounds much better on an MP3 file than live, surely something is not adding up. Everything about the band seemed disjointed, from the folksy garb of suspenders and pressed shirts to the very odd facial expressions and screeches. I couldn’t make out the lyrics most of the time and there seemed to be a general consensus from the crowd’s restlessness that we were ready for The 1975 to show Night Engine how it’s really done.

             One perk of The 1975’s growing fame is that it provides room for a lot of growth in projecting the band’s image and refining their stage style. A large glowing rectangle, The 1975’s chosen geometric mascot, was indicative of this new showmanship. Centered in the middle of the stage, it was omnipresent during the entire show and sparked the perfect balance between simplicity and flashiness. Star of the show, Healy, sauntered on stage cradling a wine bottle and wearing a leather jacket like he was doing it a favor.

             The crowd went wild, and before long, I could hear the drone of the audience’s singing voices much more clearly than I could even hear Healy’s! It was so satisfying to hear The 1975 play songs taken from their newly released album and to shout, “Why you talk so loud?” right back at Healy during the song “Talk!” The band actually performed some songs that I had never heard them play at shows previously, such as the tender “fallingforyou,” from their IVEP. We had to brace ourselves (learned from previous experience) during catchy anthem and chart topper, “Chocolate,” which had everyone jumping up and down in waves that rippled the crowd.

             While that is all good-natured fun, some people get unnecessarily aggressive and start ruining the experience by their need to let off steam in the form of shoving and slamming into others. Several members of the crowd tried desperate attempts to catch Healy’s attention by shouting out to him. While I know he is a rock star, he’s still a person, and shouldn’t have to be subjected to these distracting acts of disrespect that take away from the show itself. I prefer not to dwell on those negative aspects however, because The 1975 are a more than phenomenal live act. In my opinion, their album only begins to scratch the surface of their talent and that is evidence of a truly gifted group of musicians.

             Healy seemed genuinely choked up to play the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire and, as always, was still the living example of playing for the sake of the music that most artists often lose sight of. I sang my little “Heart Out” while The 1975 stole mine even more than ever before. Their synth, their sex appeal, their songs all culminate to produce a band that is here to stay.

             The audience was still ravenous after The 1975 completed their set and the band burst on stage like they had been expecting our chants to call them back. The song “Sex” drove the encore and it couldn’t have been a more perfect ending to an already triumphant show. As the band members exited, all that was left was the looming rectangle, still standing as idol, savior. The 1975 have reclaimed the rectangle for their own, making it a thing of worship for devoted followers to bow down to and hail divine. They have certainly made a convert out of me and I reckon it will only be a matter of time before they indoctrinate you too.

             View The 1975’s website here, discover MMX here, and Night Engine here.  

Reminiscing: With Healy at Barfly in December 2012 (left) and The Borderline in February 2013 (right)

Hats Off to London Fashion Weekend

             London Fashion Week’s little sister, London Fashion Weekend, does not baulk in the face of its mightier predecessor. As we disembark from London Fashion Week, London Fashion Weekend offers something all of its own. Somerset House dedicates a weekend every September and February to host the massive event. Somerset House is worthy of a visit itself, with its guided tours, art exhibitions, and open-air concerts and films. This was my second year attending London Fashion Weekend and its popularity has only grown since then. 

             Whereas the space around me was maneuverable last September, this year I found myself lumped in with hoards of people, attempting to inch my way along clothing racks. I didn’t mind being squashed up against a particularly luxurious crimson fur coat, but almost as soon as my covetous fingers had stroked it, I was swept up in the fashion mob. As they say, if you can’t beat them, join them, and that is exactly what I did.

             There are a variety of ticket options available, so personal preference plays a factor in what you gain from the experience. My friends and I purchased tickets by the name of “Shop & The Lot (Trend),” which granted us shopping access and the opportunity to attend the trend catwalk show. The designer option is also available. We additionally picked up our tote bags. While ours were included in the price of our ticket, the totes were also offered at 10 pounds on site. Compared to Mulberry’s sultry slate gray of last year, the Sister by Sibling design for this year dazzles with highlighter bright lime green, black, white, and gray leopard spots. Their bubblegum pink namesake is emblazoned on the back, sealed with a playful kiss. 

             The goodies inside the tote included Lavazza Qualità Rossa Coffee, Kusmi Imperial Label Tea, Beauty Candy Raspberry Candies in the shape of little bears packed with collagen, vitamin D, B6, and folic acid, tantalizing blue Maybelline Volum’ Express Color Shock mascara, Maybelline Color Show Vintage Leather nail polish in Red Grained, and Sea Salt Spray, which I highly recommend, and Curl Spray, which I am yet to try, from hair care line Label.m. 

             Before the scheduled catwalk, my friends and I decided to browse the designer stalls, where we were inundated with clothes, accessories, jewelry, and shoes. Floor upon floor inside Somerset House offered tempting one-off pieces and fashionable merchandise, usually at reduced prices. As I mentioned earlier, the place was packed, so we had to be hasty in our shopping. Perhaps it was for the best, as I am sure we would have come away with a lot more bags than we did. We spent a substantial amount of time browsing the jewelry section, where a dainty, unusual gold spider bracelet caught my eye.

Trying on Vintage Fur Company fur head wraps

             A piece of work created by Rachel Entwistle, the eight-legged creature is sterling silver with 18ct yellow gold plating. A sapphire gemstone is slotted into the spider’s abdomen and the oxidized sterling silver chain is finely doubled. Onyx beads decorate the clasp for the finishing touch. Whether I allow the arachnid to creep across my wrist or hang from it as if weaving a web, the delicate piece is nothing short of a conversation starter. Entwistle doesn’t stop with spiders though, borrowing inspiration from beetles, crosses, and bones. Another standout item for me would have to be Entwistle’s jawbone bracelet, which is exactly what it sounds like. Deeply seated in the collection is the ability to turn often overlooked aspects of nature, like bugs and human physiology, into beautiful pieces of work.

             If you can’t find something you like whilst shopping during London Fashion Weekend, you simply aren’t looking hard enough. From silk pajamas to jeans patterned with bicycles to rings cast from pigeon feet, the stalls provide for every kind of customer. There’s so much choice, there’s almost too much choice. Before my friends and I could get stuck hemming and hawing over what color silk pajamas we preferred more, we made a dash for the catwalk show…an hour earlier than the designated time on our tickets.

             This actually ended up working in our favor, because we ended up being the first in line and it seemed that others had a similar idea. Not long after we stood obediently at the red velvet rope barrier did others catch on and join the lineup. This secured us a respectable second row seat for the catwalk show. Front row seats are a privilege that can be purchased ahead of time. This year, the catwalk expanded so that more people could fit inside. Press waited hungrily at the end of two aisles instead of just one and the audience’s eyes darted between the two doorways on either side of the room. We wondered expectantly where the models would start their strut and where they would make their exit.

Waiting for the catwalk show to begin

             The catwalk show featured four different themed trends for Autumn/Winter 2013: Back to Nature, Pretty in Pink, Victoriana, and Shape Up. Stylist and fashion consultant, Pandora Lennard, styled all of the looks and presenter Angela Scanlon introduced them.

             The Back to Nature models paraded down the runway in faux fur and feathers drenched in olive greens and chestnut browns.

             Pretty in Pink took its cue from John Hughes’ classic 80s film of the same name, amplifying the pink with each new outfit reveal.

             Shape Up’s blocky ensembles continued the geometric look from last season, proving its lasting power with zesty shapes and graphic lines.

             Victoriana finished the presentation with my favorite wardrobe staple of all black, leaving me enamored by the chunky heels and glints of gold. Classy creams cascaded over the midnight blacks to make for a timeless combination.

             Almost as soon as we left the catwalk show, we faced a very crucial unit of the fashion army – press photographers and fashion bloggers. We were snapped by both, alluding to the knowledge that we must be doing something right. There is nothing more satisfying than being recognized for fashion in an explicitly fashion-centered environment. As Yves Saint Laurent so eloquently put it, “Fashions fade, style is eternal.” With that, I tip my Panama hat to the legendary Saint Laurent and it’s hats off to London Fashion Weekend, until next year.

             If you’re interested in viewing my entire look for the occasion, visit the post on my style blog, A Stitch in Time, here. See what’s on at Somerset House here. Read up on London Fashion Weekend here and browse Rachel Entwistle’s jewelry here.

Photo courtesy of Stephen Lucas, a photographer covering London Fashion Weekend