Aloha Hawaii...

12 hours from me posting this, i will be on a Virgin Atlantic flight en-route to Hawaii...! Eeek!!

To be honest, it is still all a bit crazy and still hasn't sunk in. It has all been very last minute and spontaneous, only two and a half weeks ago (to be exact) the decision was made that a much needed get-away for my best friend and i was imminent. So we will be joining the newly-weds, honey-mooners and American celebrities (in my head Hawaii is exactly like Forgetting Sarah Marshall) to surf, whale watch and relax . We will be vacationing (as they say in the states), on the island O'ahu, staying on Waikiki Beach, i can imagine there is going to be an immense amount to do out there*

I have just about zipped my suitcase shut and finally got to use this brilliant gadget i got last week. Now i am in no way a gadget geek (the only gadgets i own are my electric toothbrush, my iphone and laptop) but i am thoroughly impressed with it and think everyone should have one. It is a handy luggage scale by Salter that weighs your cases beforehand so you know how much it weighs before arriving at the airport. A lot more accurate than trying to balance a suitcase on a bathroom scale. Genius.
Now baring in mind that i am away for 9 days (2 of those are mainly flying: 18 hours each way, including transit in LAX), i seem to have accumulated:

1. 2 pairs of heels
2. 27 pieces of jewellery
3. 7 tops
4. 9 bikinis
5. 1 jumpsuit
6. 8 dresses
7. 4 sandals/flip flops
8. 3 shorts
9. 5 skirts
10. 3 trousers/leggings
11. And seemingly lots of other luggage fillers...
    

=20.993451kg!!!

Luckily, with this amazing, device i am able to save myself the embarrassment and stress of finding out at the bag drop off point that my luggage is overweight, and having to (on my hands and knees) reshuffle the hand luggage and check-in luggage. I have of-course failed to divulge the story of that exact scenario happening to myself and Steve Doyle (of BUCK) earlier this year during Milan and Paris menswear fashion week. The less said about that the better, the embarrassment was near fatal...

I look forward to surfing, swimming, snorkeling, rainforest's, volcanoes, whales, turtles, sushi, Luau's and more. I will try my hardest to picture blog as often as possible out there.

*if anyone has any suggestions of places to go and things to do, please run them my way.

Blood, Sweat and Fears...

Over the next few days, make sure you go to this:I have just got back from the private view this evening and was pleasantly astounded. The event was described to me by my lovely friend Richard Danks (who is curating and organising the event alongside Chelsea Campbell) as a "Live Magazine". This, as i learned this evening, translates the concept of a magazine from the printed page to a live interactive event featuring artists as diverse as fashion designers, illustrators, musicians, art installations, live photo-shoots and design interaction. I saw variety of content including food in the way of beautiful and unique cake-cum-lollipops by Fifi & Lola (I was unfortunately unable to sample them on account of the fact that i am a celiac, but my friends with me told me they were very very delicious); Illustrations by Oliver Hemsley, the Central St Martins student of which the charity Art against Knives is born from his tragic and unprovoked stabbing a year ago; and interactive art "Singing Doodles" by Louise O'Connor (my favourite of the evening), where drawings are transformed into music. These are only naming a few. Click here to find out more...

The five-day event will run from March 17th-21st at 65/67 Broadwick Street in support of Art Against Knives.

Puppy fashion week- LFW AW10

Credit has to be given to beautiful dalmatian puppy Bernie (who finally turns 1 later this month) for keeping up to date during this years London fashion week. Although he was not allowed to attend any shows, on account of the fact that he is a very excitable pooch, he stayed loyal to his fashion roots and kept a day to day London fashion week clothes diary*...

Day 1-

Clashing fur prints
Fur from So High Soho

Day 2-
Double breasted jacket cover up
Jacket- Vintage

Day 3-
"Studs are here to stay"
T-Shirt by Prada
Jacket by Comme des Garcons
Day 4-
Trench coat by Burberry Prorsum
Day 5-
Glasses by Niamh O'Connor
Day 6 (menswear day)-

Toggle belt clip worn as a collar, jumper and cardigan all by Carolyn Massey

Day 7-
London Fashion Week over, and Bernie slips into his usual lounge wear.

*No dalmatian puppies were harmed in the making of this feature. All clothes styled by Bernie

Fashion East: Man AW10

This year saw Katie Eary open the MAN show with a collection inspired by Irvine Welsh’s “Marabou Stork Nightmares”. The collection saw a variety of textures running throughout the collection including furs; wools; photographic technicolour and hallucinatory prints of intertwining and winding green snakes; vibrant purple velvet devore tiger print and orange and lime green mock-croc shirts. I loved all the metallic, reflective neon trousers and matching trainers, as well as the chunky knits, well i loved it all to be honest. I want it all...!
Cult menswear duo Jaiden rVa James followed with a collection that took inspiration from Mad Max films and Tom of Finland books. Think Hell raiser meets Kiss (the band) at Torture Gardens. Model after model charged down the runway in head to toe leather; from leather balaclava with ball gags to a more wearable leather shirt, tie and trousers(!) to over the knee high heeled wedges, possibly signaling a nod towards womenswear for the design duo? Or quite simply just reiterating their signature of pushing sexual taboos and boundaries in fashion. Either way this was possibly a highlight of the day in terms of sheer entertainment and fun, so out there, but still so wearable. I heart the shearling coat, leather strapped trousers and all the wedge heels, i want now!
The final collection of the MAN show was another debuting designer to the show New Power Studio. This collection titled “Drunken Monkey” seeks to embrace and harness the mad-but-good energy of London’s people and its music. Think glad rags for rude boys... The collection saw more casual street wear pieces with sweatshirts sporting leather insert on shoulder, double hemmed sports wear jackets and a mixture of textures in one particular tracksuit of velvet, fleece and cotton jersey. A few surreal and note worthy elements came down the runway including a pair of children one with a drum for a head and the other with a white golf ball for a hand and an OAP on a scooter...