Designer Doppelganger

On my recent trek to H&M I stumbled upon this beauty.

















No, I mean literally stumbled, then squealed for a bit while my friend and the H&M staff looked on in amusement and embarrassment I'm sure. It's not everyday that you find a pretty decent, not to mention legal imitation of one of the season's most popular designer statement sweaters. And yes, I'm talking about that Kenzo tiger motif sweater which has been snapped up by Tommy Ton more times than I can count. It lacks the iconic logo and there isn't a tiger tail hanging down the back but, as soon as I saw this it just hanging there in H&M amongst woolly jumpers, all that flashed through my mind was the Kenzo sweater and how I'd found a more affordable and still good quality inspired counterpart. And since I had an interview coming up for UCA in Epsom I couldn't think of better investment towards my future, and of course it was worth it because it did receive a few compliments from the fashion journalism course leaders. 

The jumper's originally a crop, but I bought it a few sizes bigger so that I could tuck it into my skater skirt, and I don't think my summer tummy ready to b out yet. It's one of those cool and quirky pieces of clothings that you could create numerous outfits with, without it ever getting old, or it could help in adding more excitement to a look. It's only £14.99 but it's not on the website yet, although they'll probably put it up later. Of all the attempts at a tiger jumper this probably the best I've seen so far.

Jumpers range from £165-£500 at Net-a-porter

Mazz
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Karl who?

Cast your minds back to Chanel's a/w 2009 collection. Or more accurately hailed, as the time when Karl Lagerfeld presented us with an alternative to rummaging through our purses for that particular shade of lippy or illusive 3G iPhone, which somehow always dissapeared within the black hole of our handbag. This simple way of life was abolished by the blessing that was the transparent Chanel case which places all your essential bits and bobs in their own little compartements, (including of course your Chanel bag) - albeit for all the world to see.

Fastforward back to the present time and the luxurious fashion house, which embodies everything ladylike, is still striving to make our lives easier by presenting us with things we didn't even realise we needed. And so Mr Lagerfeld pulled out all the stops for the brand's spring/summer 2013 show as he introduced to the world a different - if not more practical - rendition of a beach bag; a gigantic pair of hula hoops supporting the equally enlarged trademark quilted bag.

Practical, because according to Karl you can easily hang your wet towel over it to dry whilst parading around the beach for all to admire - or gasp. If extra large is faaaar too OTT for you, the bag also comes in a much more modest size - however I can't garantee that it'll generate quite so big of an impact.

What will they think of next?

Mazz

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Fashion Week breakdown: Milan

Next season's Versace girl grabbed her Amazonian sword and blowtorch and went about slashing her summer wardrobe. Tired of being constricted season after season, she thus created micro minis, lace shorts silk crop tops and belted shifts and other barely assembled dresses which look like they might fall apart before they were even given a chance to be worn.
I'll admit I wasn't sure if I liked it at first, but only because it's so starkly different from the warrior queens Donnatella usually presents to the world. Instead this time the girls- all in their tie dyed grunge glory- seemed dressed say more for Coachella than the fierce fashion battlefield. In my opinion it was a tad tacky; the nip slips, lace inserts and cut-outs everywhere from torso to thigh. However the smokey eyes and tussled hair made for a sassy no nonsense "I don't need a guy to have fun while I'm on ma summer roadtrip with ma girls" feel. If however, come the warm evenings, said guy was being missed the girls need only wrap themselves in their boyfriend blazers and leathers jackets. Meanwhile hemlines dropped and thigh slit maxis were introduced, in the most nostalgic shades ranging from desert to all the hues of a setting sun.
I love that the iconic Medusa was slipped in there somehow albeit faded, it felt like a cheeky wink from the designer. Amidst the skin and hipbone everywhere, were leather strapped and heeled gladiator (so maybe the warrior hasn't completely disappeared after all?). I think a lot of people might love this collection because it not what you'd expect when thinking of Versace,  yet it still keeps the classic elements of the brand. It was just a bit more relax, it still screamed female independence but a bit less in your face. Instead think camp fire songs on the beach, getting baked, getting stranded in the middle of nowhere because the trusty mustang decides to give up. I predict that Chanel Iman will be sporting one of these come festival season.

Mazz
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Fashion week breakdown: Milan

This is the moment that every little girl regardless of wealth demands:  "Daddy please buy me Prada shoes." And although I say that (mostly in my head in hopes that my dad suddenly becomes telepathic) every time Mrs Prada unleashes a collection, this time I only want them purely for the purpose of having a pair in my shoe closet as precious artifacts.
When it comes to footwear this woman is guaranteed to send me on a whirlwind of emotions, while last time we were  introduced to the make-overed platform brogues, this time she matched her geisha inspired collection by taking the platform shoes to a whole new level. The result: stacked tabi shoes - leather socks traditionally used for judo as I found out after some googling. They came in all sorts of designs and colours, some rigid bows as if to reinforce the subtle feminist aspect of the show, while others resembled roller skates to me (not sure why...). Anyway they all fitted nicely with the sharp geometrical folds of the origami like dresses. There were a few pairs in a particular colour I like to call the "Douche bag" colour; that obnoxiously bright gold which looks like it's made out of kitchen aluminium or some other tacky looking shiny material.

And the clothes were too bad either, it was a definite Japan meets 60s, the tone was serious and sombre like the solitary floral embroideries on the shift dresses, and defiant an aspect highlighted by the boyish haircuts. Halfway through the colour palette shifts to more traditional spring/summer colours like the blossoms pinks and mint greens. Then there was the out of place, random summer fur, with red flower stencils. The whole collections felt abstract as if there was an underlining theme that everyone's missing out on. Overall it didn't immediately resonate the coming of summer to me.

Mazz
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Fashion Week breakdown: Milan

The duo at Dolce & Gabbana presented yet another impressive SS collection, having moved on from their peppered summer of two seasons ago and instead dazzling with vivid and vibrant prints for next season.
Where do I begin? Well apparently the prints were inspired by Sicilian street puppet scenes, while to me they looked more like female medieval knights disguised as men trying to storm the D&G castle to no avail. The striking prints and colour combinations (red and orange amongst many) were sprawled across the usual day dresses, some figure hugging - while others were nipped in at the waist and sprung out into full skirts - boxy swinging jacket and what Dolce & Gabbana show isn't without a bloomers and bra partnership? Also I couldn't help sense the African influence, especially after the printed head scarves, raffia baskets and frayed dresses, not to mention those beautifully bentwood woven bustiers and the finale of the crinoline. Of course amidst all of that energetically fluttering fabric were the plain and simple stripes, paying homage to what I predict will be one of the biggest trends of next season, having seen in across many collections so far. A final nod of approval must be given to the Guy Fawkes-esque theatre masks prints and the rather kitsch puppet earrings.

Mazz
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Balenciaga's Bombers

The Balenciaga's 'it' sweaters, half leather half the other stuff that school jumpers are made out of (polyester?) with space age prints. These cool winter must haves have been snapped on the back of cool bloggers and socialite by the likes of Tommy Ton during the fashion month, and gracing the covers of numerous fashion mags (like the above) way too often to just ignore. Not only do they look comfy but also quite vintage; I can't shrug off the MC Hammer vibes.
If intergalactic isn't your thing, there's always the tiger jumpers.

Fashion week breakdown: London

Unfortunately I wasn't anywhere near Regent St when the Burberry show aired, I did however manage just fine from my laptop. And I felt like a kid in a sweet shop; if clothes were edible - correction: if Burberry was edible...
The point is that it was like a rainbow show, I didn't hate on any of the outfits in this collection and my giddiness grew one ensemble after another. I'm completely enjoying this retro theme that I've spotted for next summer, what better place to be inspired by than the past? But this wasn't a costume drama, although it was plenty dramatic, capes and corset combo was just genius!
The emphasise was definitely on the feminine figure and the tight fitting metallic trench coats, satin corsets and  peplum bodices, cropped trousers, boasting colours of earthy brown to bright exciting hues which looked like they were spun out of the colours of the rainbows.
What I found cute about those capes was that some of them were cupped and accentuated the shoulders, but not in the vigorousness of shoulder pads but rather in a sort of hug of protection.
Buzzing is definitely what I'm getting from that collection, like a bee attracted by all the pretty flowers, because the models weren't too far off shape wise, as they looked like flower petals. I just wanted to reach out from my laptop screen and have a feel. I've never had so much respect for Christopher Bailey.
The best piece for me though was definitely that electrifying plum and fuchsia concoction work by Kate King.

Mazz
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