My Style Gets The MIX With Sunglasses for Summer

             At the first sign of sun, the sunglasses come out. Now that we’re entering the tail end of summer, with rain threatening to cut our precious season short, it’s time we make the most of our sunnies and perhaps even buy a few more. 

  

             The MIX is a women’s eyewear label that creates trendy frames for every occasion. Deriving inspiration from global street styles, music, and fashion, the brand offers an assortment of timeless and one-of-a-kind shapes (aviator, cat eye, round). Most importantly, all of their sunglasses offer 100% UVA and UVB protection, so you can keep your eyes safe from the rays while you bask in them. The prices range from £18 to £25 and several of the designs have been featured in Cosmopolitan magazine. You can also browse through a selection of brands, including Elizabeth & James and Wildfox, on the website. For those of you lucky enough to be going on a late summer holiday, look no further!

             I teamed up with The MIX and took a few pairs of sunglasses with me on a trip to Germany. I styled them with different outfits, shifting shapes as a chameleon of clothes to play up the inherently eclectic nature of fashion and accessorizing. I hope you enjoy what I've come up with, but sunglasses are meant to be worn however you like with whatever you like, so don't be afraid to mix it up for yourselves! I would like to give a big thank you to the ever-patient Alison Rutkowski for taking the photos for this post.

             Come rain, come shine, whether you wear your sunglasses at night or not is up to you, but when they look as good as these ones from The MIX, why wouldn’t you want to make a spectacle out of your spectacles? View the full range here. 

Georgie sunglasses in dark purple galaxy 

Pick up a pair here.

Esme sunglasses in dark tortoiseshell

Pick up a pair here.

Zara sunglasses in matte black

Pick up a pair here.

Scarlett sunglasses in dark tortoiseshell

Pick up a pair here.

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty Returns to Reign

Photo courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum

             Awestruck is the only word suitable enough to describe how I felt as I toured the Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Having booked almost a year in advance, I had no idea that its scale would be quite so massive and a ticket so coveted. After its widely successful run at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the retrospective has finally come back home to reign and rightfully so. Born into a working class family in London, Lee Alexander McQueen worked his way up in the fashion world, which he managed to take by storm without taking it too seriously.

The Savage Mind gallery, photo courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum

             The exhibition begins with McQueen’s MA graduate collection, Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims (1992), and closes with his final collection, Plato’s Atlantis (2010). Five years after McQueen’s tragic suicide, the exhibition is a haunting reminder of his genius lasting legacy. It is easy to invest in a brand, but it is more important to invest in the man behind the brand, which the V&A has pulled off exceptionally. A quote from McQueen foreshadowed his fate: “I want to be the purveyor of a certain silhouette or a way of cutting, so that when I’m dead and gone people will know that the twenty-first century was started by Alexander McQueen.”

The Romantic Naturalism gallery, photo courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum

             Indeed, there will never be another like him. With my McQueen handbag in tow and my black and white McQueen skull scarf draped around my neck, I was professing, probably a bit too loudly and excitedly, my knowledge about the designer to anyone who happened to be within earshot. I had a very important introduction to make after all. Like a pilgrimage to Mecca, my fashion items were returning to holy ground, to be reunited with their creator. I had all of the necessary makings of a fan girl. I’m sure McQueen would think that was very uncool of me, but I remained on the verge of tears (happy ones of course), covered in goose bumps for the entire exhibition.

Alexander McQueen is a girl's best friend

             I cannot begin to explain how it felt to see McQueen’s creations, which I had only previously seen in photos or videos, in the fabric flesh. The exhibition remained true to McQueen’s vision and propensity towards performance on the catwalk, even down to the music and the ambience. The mirrored box from the Spring/Summer 2001 Voss show was there fully equipped with lights to turn it from clear to opaque glass.

The Voss gallery, photo courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum

             Lingering in the Cabinet of Curiosities room, I examined the intricacies of metal mouthpieces, butterfly-adorned headwear, and the spray-painted dress from the No. 13 Spring/Summer 1999 collection. Televisions broadcasted the clothes in motion from previous catwalk shows: from the derrière flaunting “bumsters” and too-cool-for-school models wearing them in Nihilism (Spring/Summer 1994), to the lace-encased horns and crucifixes in Dante (Autumn/Winter 1996), to the abundant houndstooth and seeping lips in The Horn of Plenty (Autumn/Winter 2009). Even McQueen’s model choices were deliberate – the way they sauntered out, flicked off members of the audience, and appeared all-around irreverent and indifferent to their surroundings.

The Cabinet of Curiosities gallery, photo courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum

             McQueen viewed his clothes as just that – clothes. His humble and somewhat unfounded assumption implied his stance on whether fashion equates to art. For someone who could cut clothes without a pattern and managed to cram a pentagram, a carousel, a game of chess, fire, water, red contact lenses, and much more into his catwalk repertoire, surely we must argue that what McQueen achieved was an art form. Naysayers slammed him for being misogynistic when he was anything but. McQueen lashed out with the perfect response: “I know what misogyny is! I hate this thing about fragility and making women feel naïve…I want people to be afraid of the women I dress.” That kind of confidently executed intimidation on the part of the wearer, that kind of empowerment, is what McQueen’s clothes represent.  

"When you see a woman wearing McQueen, there's a certain hardness to the clothes that makes her look powerful. It kind of fends people off." - Alexander McQueen; the Romantic Nationalism gallery, photo courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum

             McQueen’s version of beauty is savage because of the gritty, dark side of it that he chose to expose and become known for. He drew inspiration from sadomasochism, primitivism, romanticism, and nationalism, making it hard to believe that each room represented the amalgamation of one creative mind. Sarah Burton is the current creative director of Alexander McQueen. By her own admission, she does not share the same fascination with the darker side of life as the brand’s founder did. No one would wish a tortured past upon another, but McQueen’s demons were precisely what spurred on his theatrical and inventive visions. I cannot bring myself to watch the catwalk shows under Burton in recent years for fear of being underwhelmed due to my high standards. Without Alexander McQueen the individual, I fail to rationalize Alexander McQueen the brand.  

McQueen's last collection, Plato's Atlantis (Spring/Summer 2010), before his premature departure from the fashion world, photo courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum

             Just like the ever-changing hologram that distorts McQueen’s face into a skull and back again on the cover of my Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty book, he will eternally remain the man, the myth. Due to his untimely death, he will also be preserved at the height of his youth and his success for all of time, leaving a giant fashion-shaped hole in our lives. McQueen, at least for me, will forever be the King of fashion, presiding from his celestial throne. I think he’d quite like that, don’t you?

The cover of Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty

London Fashion Kick Serves up Italian Style

I had a great night attending London Fashion Kick's fashion show at Rumour, photo courtesy of Hasan Chowdhury

             Most Londoners balk at the idea of traveling to any zones past four on the Underground. However, I ventured to Bromley in zone five very happily on a cool March evening, all in the name of fashion.  In an Italian takeover, London Fashion Kick hosted a fashion show at the bar Rumour, complete with Italian brands and Italian food afterwards. The mini arancini, or rice balls, were to die for! The company itself offers the necessary “kick” that designers need to launch their brands to a wider audience through organizing fashion shows and events, while also offering management and PR services.

             Bloggers, journalists, photographers and creatives alike gathered at the venue. I arrived early to scope it out, which allowed me to easily slide my way into a front row seat and choose the artistically designed goodie bag of my choice. I knew I had to grab one with a “BLACK IS BACK” pin, especially as someone who wears black probably far too often. Although, you saw my spring-appropriate skirt above, right?! The bag also contained an assortment of leaflets and discounts for the brands that would appear later in the fashion show, some Faby nail polishes in poppy colors, a Bohemian Jewellery Tattoos collection, a bag charm from Luna Storta, and two more pins from Tiziana Mancarella: “KEEP ON SHINING” and “PINK’S NOT DEAD.”

Goodie bags galore!

             My American accent was clearly discernible amongst the infectious Italian, but I soon was chatting with the lovely Brits Darel and Grace of Bohemian Jewellery Tattoos (watch this space for an upcoming product review). Perfect for the warmer months when it’s time to shown some skin, the metallic patterns are temporary tattoos for grown-ups. Naturally, I had to try out a glittering tribal band on my arm and for someone who’s far too faddy, it was just the right amount of commitment without getting cold feet. Check out the brand here. 

With Darel and Grace of Bohemian Jewellery Tattoos, sporting one of the brand's tribal designs, photo courtesy of Hasan Chowdhury

             The long-legged model beauties soon made an appearance and all eyes were on them for the main event. Tiziana Mancarella was the first and possibly my favorite brand of the night. Reminiscent of The Pink Ladies from the film Grease, the models rocked the slogans “Black is Back,” “Keep on shining,” and “Pink's not dead” on the back of fringed jackets, which were decorated with the same pins that were gifted to the guests. Elements of punk rock and street style were injected into the collection, while leather and chrome provided the ultimate lesson in “cool girl” chic. Check out the brand here.        

Tiziana Mancarella, photos courtesy of Domingo Nardulli

             Cauchemar, which means nightmare, was born out of an insomnia-riddled night. With motifs such as the cross, heart, skull, and anchor as the driving forces behind the brand, it's devoted to creating clothes that embody youthful, urban comfort.

Cauchemar, photos courtesy of Nunzio Prenna

             Aurora Potenti remained true to its Italian roots, with the sun, sea, and bright colors of Tuscany seascapes finding their place in the designs. Models emerged in an eclectic assortment of styles: geometric prints, military-style buttons, or woolen pantsuits. On one end of the color spectrum were baby blues and pinks, while the olive greens and grays made for a contrasting yet complementary aesthetic. Check out the brand here.  

Aurora Potenti, photos courtesy of Domingo Nardulli and Nunzio Prenna 

             All of Luna Storta’s products start and end with the hard work of Italian artisans in the country itself. This is to ensure the genuine high quality of Luna Storta’s handbags. The brand boasts its versatility in creating bags that cater to women’s practical, everyday needs and bags that add the finishing touch to any outfit. While handbags need to be functional, that doesn’t mean they must forgo style and Luna Storta have managed to strike the tricky balance between the two. Check out the brand here.

Luna Storta, photos courtesy of Domingo Nardulli and Nunzio Prenna 

             De’Hart’s funky furs playfully closed the fashion show and nothing was off limits. Leopard print, vertical and horizontal stripes (at the same time!), cutesy hearts, camouflage, and the peace symbol represented a clear allegiance to the arts, music, and pop culture. In “notice-me” shades, De’Hart’s coats make it impossible to blend into the crowd and possible for the extrovert within all of us to come out and play. Check out the brand here.  

De'Hart, photos courtesy of Domingo Nardulli 

             London Fashion Kick might not have been London Fashion Week, but it wasn’t trying to be. The fashion show’s unique Italian flair was charming. It’s important to be well versed in fashion trends and designers from different countries, because inspiration can be derived from anywhere and everywhere.

             In other words, fashion matters and applies to everyone. Designs on the catwalks, as outlandish as they might appear at first, always have a way of trickling down to the masses in a toned-down form. London is the fashion hub in which I live, but having been educated more in Italian brands on the rise, I can now incorporate a sense of la dolce vita into my daily style.

             You can learn more about London Fashion Kick on the company's website here.