What's that Brown Owl?

It's Kirsty Ward! Back again on this blog with another wonderful collection. An exciting mix of crystals, metals, sheer voils, sportswear fabrics and mohair. It is a really beautiful collection and it is not hard to believe that she is celebrated as on of the up and coming iconic British designers.Kirsty Ward has continued her exploration of materials and structure by experimenting with texture and layers. Jewellery blends with the garments and creates Kirsty's signature statement looks. The British tradition of Brownies was one of the main inspirations for this collections with their yellow and brown uniforms (which lend to their name) with their badge encrusted sashes. (If you haven't heard of Brownies they are similar to girl guides.... I think? I was never a Brownie. The badges would signify certain skills they had learnt.)
The garments are all about the little special details. On closer inspection will reveal jewellery trapped between layers of fabric, mini hinges act as embellishment and boning inserted at various points adds structure to the most unexpected fabrics. I think this is what makes them so interesting and beautiful.I am so happy to see how well Kirsty is doing!!! She has been hailed by Vogue.com as One of the Designers to Watch 2011. This season she was selected as a One-to-Watch designer at Vauxhall Fashion Scout catwalk show and I am gutted I didn't get the chance to see the show but it is so lovely to have these photographs from the show. Selfridges’ have also invited Kirsty Ward to take part in the Bright Young Things exhibition and they currently stock exclusive pieces from her collection in the store and online.Kirsty Ward is also stocked in Kabiri London and with youngbritishdesigners.comFastening support by YKK. Crystals sponsored by SWAROVSKI ELEMENTSBest Wishes
Fashion Fantasist xx

Happy New Year

And Happy Birthday to my blog! It has been a year since I started blogging as Fashion Fantasist and what a year it has been. I was not expecting this blog to turn out the way it has done. It started as a way to make a digital profile for myself and my designs but has turned in to a lot more.

I don't think any of the opportunities I have experienced this year would have happened without this blog. It has helped me meet new people, I have been invited to fashion shows and events, I have written for other blogs and online publications and of course it helped (with Twitter) towards getting an internship with French Connection.

Writing this blog has expanded my fashion horizons. If I have found a designer or piece of work I have found interesting or inspirational I have tried to make contact with the designer, which has been a very rewarding experience discovering other peoples inspirations and aspirations.

A highlight of this year for me was to go to London Fashion Week!! I only went the one day and saw one show but it was amazing. As you all know I didn't shut up about it for posts and posts. Thank you to Kirsty Ward and David Longshaw who gave me that opportunity it was amazing to meet you both and I wish you the best of luck in 2011. At LFW I also met the team behind the hugely successful Young British Designers who I had the pleasure of writing a guest blog post for. Wonderful people who I think are doing exciting things for young British designers.

One of the best and most challenging experience this year has got to be my final university collection. It was difficult to get in to the swing of things but through it I discovered a real interest in photographic and Trompe l'Oeil print techniques. I am currently trying to create some garments that I can market and sell... But look out 2011 for that. I also experienced a real passion for meeting new people whilst helping with the PR for our University fashion show. I created a twitter account and managed to get the most coverage our university shows have had. It was also very flattering to have my work featured in an online publication.

Going to shows to cover them as a journalist/blogger was something I was not expecting but it has been a real delight to do this for both Culture Candy and Guide2Bristol. Hopefully this will be something I will continue to do in 2011.

Working for French Connection as an intern was such an eyeopening experience. I learnt so much and met a lot of very friendly people. It started out as just photocopying and sticking together artworks but as I got to know people better I started to contribute more. This may seem like a small thing but in the 2011 a/w range there are bead combinations that I helped create and that is so exciting. I brushed up on my Photoshop skills and actually feel more confident on Illustrator. All in all it was fantastic - hard work but well worth it!!! (Thank you to Rachel again for the gig!)

All in All it has been a whirl wind of a year. 2010 has been hard work but I think 2011 will be even harder. I am going to be continuing to look for work, start creating more designs, keep working hard on this blog and keep talking to and meeting wonderful people. Of course like every new year my resolution will be to stop chewing my nails! Hehe!

Sorry I haven't done any images in this post I wasn't sure what to choose!!! But here are some gorgeous shoes I have my eye on...Finsk Boots....... Well I can dream - that is why I am a Fashion Fantasist! (They are also really lovely in black!)

I hope you all had great years and thank you for reading my blog, following and supporting it. Wishing you the best 2011!!!
Fashion Fantasist xxx

Young British Designers

I am super excited!! Sorry for my lack of posting this week but I have lots to share with you so I hope it will make up for it...

But back to the excitement!! If you remember I did a guest post for the very lovely people at Young British Designers and in return received a Charlotte Taylor scarf (which I adore btw!) Welllllll here is the video for their website launch.... Which will be in the week commencing the 6th September!! Excited!!

A whole host of British designers will be involved in this website: Felicity Brown, Kinder Aggugini, Fannie Schiavoni, Simeon Farrar, Julian J Smith, Elliott J Frieze, Sophie Gittins shoes, Eudon Choi, Alice Palmer (a finalist of Fashion Fringe 2010), Swagga & Soul, J. W. Anderson (jewellery) etc etc etc!!! I really can't wait to see how the website turns out and have loved following the girls from YBD on Twitter!

It will definitely be a website to visit often and I look forward to exploring all the British designers - some that I haven't heard about which is even more exciting!

Anyway sorry for the over use of the words 'exciting' and 'excited' I just really can't wait!!

Do check out their Blog in the meantime and also follow them on Twitter and watch THIS SPACE for the website!

Speak very soon
Fashion Fantasist xx

Charlotte Taylor

Recently I did a guest blog post for Young British Designers on Olivia Rubin (see here!!!) Well in return I was sent by the lovely Debra from YBD a Charlotte Taylor scarf from her A/W10 collection. I am in love with it!! I also adore the rest of the collection - in particular the outfit on the postcard!! Charlotte Taylor has just been announced as one of Vauxhall Fashion Scouts One to Watch! Soooo watch this space...

The inspiration of her A/W10 collection is an eclectic mix of trashy grannies, penguins, old soap operas, movies and the eccentric within. It is a very bold, bright and elegant collection with interesting lines and seaming and a quirky penguin print. Charlotte Taylor is a Central Saint Martins graduate and has previously worked with Luella - a designer I might add that I also admire. I asked Charlotte what her next collection will bring...
'S/S11 sees Charlotte's inspirations transgress into another weird and wonderful combination. Vintage Robots, Sail making, and copper and rust provide the catalyst for Charlotte's second collection. Expect unusual fabric combinations and heaps of colour. It's quirky, British, elegant and most importantly it's fun.'

I think this is why I am so drawn to Charlotte's work, I really enjoy quirky British-ness and the unexpected in fashion. It is what I tried to draw on when designing my BA final collection.

I also asked Charlotte how she starts to design a collection.
'I always pick 3 topics and research them into the ground. They are then pinned to giant boards and placed around the studio. I then sit and draw and draw and draw. Don't ask me how I come up with the themes it just kinda comes to me over the months leading up to it...'

I would love to be able to see her studio space. I can imagine it is fascinating with those large boards of inspiration all over.

I am really looking forward to the new collection! Roll on S/S11 collections Please!!!

Photographs of Charlotte's collection have come from her blog. Photographer is Claire Pepper, Stylist is Ellie Cumming, Hair and make-up by Camilla Hewitt and Model Rachel Cockerell at Models 1

Best Wishes
Fashion Fantasist xx

ps Thank you Debra for the lovely scarf etc! :) x

Olivia Rubin for Young British Designers

I find Olivia Rubin's work so much fun and I was delighted when I was asked by Young British Designers to write a piece on her!

'Young British Designers launches September. We have set it up to provide a world stage for all the astonishingly brilliant young fashion talent that exists in our country today.

We don't want to only promote the creations (clothes, shoes, bags, jewellery etc) but also the people behind them. The site will be as much about the designers, who they are, what inspires them..and, importantly, how wearing their designs makes someone feel (this emotional connection is often lost in retail translation).

We have a mix of brand new, never seen before designers and some in their third or fourth seasons. All up and coming, all very talented. For our launch we have around 38 designers joining us.

We will always be on the lookout for new talent, always try and help in any way we can.

YBD will provide a global focus for, and a place to buy the very best of young British fashion so that designers can have the very best chance of growing their brands.' (Debra from YBD)

Please stop by their blog and the post would love to hear what you think :) I am really looking forward to their website being up and running!

Speak Soon Fashion Fantasist xx