Happy Halloween!

This is my most recent video for Buckstyle. Beware, there is some blood and gore. Grab a pillow and get ready to hide...

McQueen Armadillo shoes SS10

So i went to the McQueen Press office earlier in the week to pick up some samples for the Buckstyle Halloween video shoot i was styling on Wednesday, and I stumbled upon all the SS1o womenswear samples from Paris fashion week. They were back and they were in my presence! I couldn't help but perv... And then i saw these!


Yes i did try them on!
Simply amazing, such works of art. Fashion moments like these are one of the reason i love and work in fashion.

A reason to embrace the cold- Full Circle

One of the depressing and often disorientating things about working in fashion is the industry's advanced time scales that magazine and press often have to work in. As some of you know, i was in Milan and Paris reporting for Buckstyle in June 09 for menswear fashion week seeing the spring summer 2010, almost a year before it is due to hit the shops! Meanwhile the last fashion week i attended for menswear, autumn winter 09 in January is already old news in my mind (as the next season has shown already) and it has not even hit shops yet. The upcoming London Fashion Week in less than a month will not hit stockists till at least February/March next year and for all press the Xmas season started 2 months ago. It can sometimes be a real head spinner, planning and shooting a winter story in 30 degrees heat, or vice versa, a summer swimwear in single figure celsius. It is so easy in this industry to jump ahead and of the gun, so i decided to consult my AW 09 look books and refresh my memory of trends and fashion of the coming season... Instead of coveting next spring summer key pieces prematurely, i want to jog the memories of the more urgent season ahead. I was delightfully caught off-guard upon perusing the Full Circle look book. Within their 29 pages of womenswear i picked up a few amazing key items that i would love lining my wardrobe in the coming months.*

Mmmm! this delectable short leather dress, i cant wait to get my hands on this most especially, this will see me through the season, any event or party. Just need to get my hands on the perfect heels.

These Balmain effect shoulders on this outerwear coat. Perfect length, great funnel neck and petite waist, but will have to watch out taking peoples eyes out on public transport.

Not sure which of these i love the most, the drop crotch tailored trouser or the sculptured drape shoulder on the blazer. I suppose they can be worn together, or separately with different pieces.

Off the shoulder jumpsuit with the carrot leg pant.

Last but no least, i feel like i must get into the spirit of the coming cold front. Yes, i know premature after the scorching weekend we had, but then look at the grey/white skies we have today. Gotta think ahead!

It is brilliant collections like this that make me not want to bypass the cold and dreary-ness of the upcoming 6 months of AW ahead.

*curiously and for some reason, all the key pieces i loved were black... Is this some sort of premonition of my AW wardrobe, i fear so.

Excuse 2: My-Wardrobe.com

So, as one of my excuses for slack blogging recently, this one being shooting for My-Wardrobe.com, I give you my recent offering to the menswear style feed:



GREAT BRITISH HERITAGE

Celia-Jane Ukwenya, Fashion Editor at Buckstyle, explains why this will play a big wardrobe role this season

Great British Heritage. I am sure for a lot of us, this conjures up images of muddy boots, long walks in sparse fields, watching the Polo, and stuffy well-to do toffs playing croquet on the lawn - “Tally Ho, Pip Pip” and all that! Yes, before the tune of “land of Hope and Glory gets too loud, read on…
In the months leading into winter “Great British Heritage” will mean a whole lot more than that, with key elements creeping into your everyday attire. The catwalks were awash with garments mirroring this theme; Lou Dalton with her embellished chunky knits and cord riding trousers and Moschino with their claret colours reminiscent of old English public school uniforms. Vivienne Westwood’s show was awash with a major gardening and great outdoors theme, with Burberry reiterating its classic Burberry tartan in their collection. This trend is all about turning away from casuals such as denim. Think durable waxed cotton jackets and coats to the style of Barbour’s Olive Classic Beauford jacket. Cord blazers worn in the traditional navy and tan like this Tobacco cord Sports blazer by Polo Ralph Lauren or pushed to the extreme in punch packing pink, green and red corduroy trousers (think eccentric Englishman). Traditional British fabrics such as tweeds and herringbone will be key and integral and can make the look more directional. Great British designers such as Burberry (new this season to my-wardrobe.com), Paul Smith, and Grenson will be taking centre stage. Team traditional navy, beige and stone colours with strong clashing patterns like a flash of tartan or a plaid print.



Here, this stone Burberry pac-a-mac trench coat is put together with a Polo Ralph Lauren plaid shirt and a classic straight leg chino also by Burberry, rolled up at the ankle of course for that relaxed English county walk feel. Finish the look with these Grenson brogue style ankle boots and this navy dog print scarf by Paul Smith.

All clothes available at My-Wardrobe.com

More great excuses to come!

My First: Video shoot- "Brave New World"

So i arrived back from Paris and Milan a week ago, tired and a bit dazed, but had no choice and was plunged straight back into the thick of it. While in Paris and Milan, as well as all the shows and reports and filming and editing, there was also the premiere of my first video shoot to organise. I began working with film maker James Yeoman over a month ago after i had seen his behind the scene video he had produced for the Dazed Digital website. After looking at his other videos, i tracked him down via the interweb, i was totally blown over by his work. We began working on an idea and theme for one of Buckstyle's AW09 major trend. I did the creative direction working on getting the right models, the perfect location, writing the script alongside Jim, and of course all the styling. The shoot had to reflect the AW09 trend that YSL, Prada, Hugo by Hugo Boss, Raf Simons showed on the catwalk, the mood of security and protection, a futuristic matrix style ambience. Alongside those brands, i also called in high street and vintage brands like Topman, H&M and The East End Thrift Store. Colours and shades are dark, footwear is high topped and hard wearing, details include straps, studs and exposed zips . A post apocalyptic feeling was portrayed with models Alex Jermy and Holly Dormon, seemingly trapped in a decaying deserted world exploring survival.

This video is going to be a first of many video shoots to come out of myself and also Buckstyle. As the title suggests, it is a new medium which is relatively new. But i am so excited to begin working on it.... Hope you like the film.

Styled and Creative Direction Ceila-Jane Ukwenya
Filmed and Edited by James Yeomans
Hair and Make up by Sarah Barrow
Stylist Assistant: Jack Cassidy
Many thanks to The Pidgeon Wing studio

Buckstyle First: Interview with Masataka Matsumara, Creative Director of Giuliano Fujiwara

Click here to go to the Buckstyle site.
Video filmed and edited by me...

Shoes at Louis Vuitton

Yesterday i popped into the Louis Vuitton building in central Paris for a press appointment to have a close inspection of the SS10 collection and i was not let down. The collection was so strong with fantastic pops of colour. The collection was based around couriers in the city and how they are very much like urban butterflies. There was a butterfly print running through the collection and a vein like pattern on jackets. Colours were bright and poppy- New York Taxi yellows and orange-y reds. The accesories were really something that stood out in the collection to me. Here is a selection of my favourites:A strappy gladiator style that i have been going on about, they are absolutely everywhere. These remind me of comfortable, tourist-y walking/hiking shoes. Pair these with white socks or a pair of Happy Socks for a new take on geek chic. There was also a similar pair in black...

These are incredible. They are sequined shoe, but the colour is interchangeable. Wipe your hand over the shoe to one side and its silver and the wipe it the other way and they are black. I have not seen this done on shoes before. Very clever. I hope these will become very popular. I certanly wil try and use them in an editorial. Myself and the PR did chuckle that they are very Michael Jackson, i hope that wasn't insensitive.

These are stunning. From the front they look like regular shoes from the front, but this magic pop of colour on the heel is fantastic.

Minimal strap sandals

I loves the choice of colour of these metallic/pearl finish lace up shoes. I particularly like the gold coloured ones...

A full show report of the show on Buckstyle coming soon.

Paree Paree Jour 1

So Day one in Paris has been more action packed than a smack in the face from the Hulk. Yesterday began relatively early with the Issey Miyake show in the morning. This was their first catwalk show in a while and was presented in the Issey Miyake shop. This was very intimate with only 7 UK press attending. The show saw a turkish influence running throughout it, with brigh clashing colours and those backless pointy shoes you find in the east Mediterranean . I would really love to see a trend with those shoes really shine through, i think they are so perculiar. Next show was my favourite of the whole day, the Hugo Boss show. The collection was so perfect with white, navy and blue being the key colours. Hints and pops of red and gold appeared now and again, spelling the most prefect nautical inspired collection. Lines were so clean, and details were bang on the money, and the shoes were gladiator sandles. Bruno Pieters the designer for Hugo really did a fantastic job, living up to the high expectations he had left me with after last years show.Elliott and Steve looking dapper on the second row.Elauen and Chris from Atttitude magazine saying "hullo".

Shorts and cable knit look, look at the shoes!

One of my favourite looks, but there were so many and such little blog space.
(I did film a video for Buckstyle, so look out for it on the site, i'll let you know once i have edited it and its ready, the show is so impressive).

So we left the show all in high spirits and with a unison agreement that we all loved the show and are met with this fellow on the train. I always find the buskers in Paris on a different level to London. They normally get onto the actual train and typically play the accordion, violin or in this case, a saxophone. I felt like i was in Amelie or any other French film. Tres bon.

The next show was Juun J which showed a continued collaboration with bag makers Chris and Tibor. The collection showed lots of sheer garments: gauze organza layered over shorter length shorts was a typical look, as well as sheer fabric over or under shorts, trenchcoats and blazers. I am really loving the sheer trend emerging, i have almost exhausted it already in my American Apparel sheer black top i am pictured in below. This show also presented a more sporty gladiator style sandal, or a cut out high-top if you will. These are absolutely everywhere, one to watch.

Look at the shoes

Next stop was an appointment at Yves Saint Laurent to see the collection and a short film by Samuel Benchetrit. Stefano's starting point for the show was exploring shape and line. Jackets were cropped and in some places deconstructed, t-shirts and cardigans were long coming up to the mid-thigh to the knee. Show report to come up later today with images of the full collection and the short film on Buckstyle plus a video filmed and edited by yours truely. I found these marvellous pretties at YSL, they look like the menswear answer to 'those' cage shoes i love!

Amazing right?

Next stop was Gaspard Yurkevich and after been shown to our seat on the front row, i spotted this other front row beauty directly opposite me.

Amazing fashion accessory, i should have brought Bernie with me...

The show was really fresh, with crop cuts and fresh navy, and beige colours with the odd reflector fabric. Gaspard also showed a perculiar t-shirt with an American football style shoulders, really exagerrated and oversized. Elliott manages to get a backstage interview with Gaspard after the show, look out for it on Buckstyle...

The deep V trend and sleeveless jacket trend continues...

Next stop, Jean Paul Gaultier. The show is set in the JPG HQ in Paris. The huge venue was packed out with people but surprisingly the front and second row were not oversubscribed with bums on seats. Seated directly opposite me: Carine Roitfeld and Tim Blanks...! Joined later (half way throught the show) by newly brunnette Fergie and Apl.de.ap of Black Eye Pea fame... The show was what you would expect from JPG, as always with the sailor influences, male models walking down the runway in tube tops aka boob tubes, Skorts (a shorts and skirt hybrid) and full on skirts. Apart from some of the shocking show pieces, there were some good pieces; I loved the wide leg loose fitting trousers he showed and the full dipped in colour look with a model wearing head to toe bright orange-y red (that red glow below).

Video of Jean Paul Gaultier to come on Buckstyle

My Day 1 outfit in Paris...Photographed by Facehunter outside the Hugo Boss show

The day ended with a party at the Ritz in Paris celebrating the new menswear brands at Harrods, a lovely party and a nice opportunity to catch up with some of the other fashion journalists in Paris although the night was slightly tainted by the news of Michael Jacksons death. Upon leaving the Ritz and en-route to the Henrik Vibskov after party, it was hyper-real having Parisienes stopping you in the street and franticly asking: 'ave you "erd, Michael Jackson es ded...!" Surreal. Its Day 2 now, and will post on todays happenings later...

More trends to write home about:
Deep V
The loss of the shirt
Red
One colour form top to toe- 'dipped in colour'
Sporty gladiator sandals/Cut out hi-tops everywhere
More back packs
Pattern- especially Batik and Ikat patter
Sheer fabrics

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Milan fashion week...Overview

Apologies for the lack of posting, even though i did promise lots of blog posts while in Milan. I have been having technical difficulties with the internet connection to my room. Dont ask. It has been extremely annoying, cutting out mid-blog... Highly frustrating. So what i have got here are highlights of the last 4 days in Milan. I am off to Paris later today and am quite excited about it all. Had a really good sleep last night and i am now re-invigourated and refreshed and ready to tackle the next 6 days of non stop fashion... The internet situation should be a whole lot better in our Parisienne apartment (finger crossed). If anyone knows a way of blogging from my iphone or an app to down load, please let me know, would make my life whole lot easier. There has been online twittering from myself and the Buckstyle team here, so keep up to date on there too. Hope you have had a look at the Buckstyle website and seen all that we have been up too. In addition to reporting, I can now add camerawoman and film editor to my CV! I now go under the name of Celia Speilberg.... Ha!

DAY 1
First day in Milan, and things are looking good! Such a brilliant show at Burberry and managed to get an interview with Christopher Bailey! Interview will be up on Buckstyle is up now, go read it here... I only had a few minutes with him, but he was so sweet. The show had a real summer feel, with pastel colours mixed with bold primary coloured sportswear. Knits were lights with straps across the torso and ruched detailing in the macs and blazers. Amazing rucksacks too, very well executed. I shot some behind the scenes videos backstage at the show also which is available here.

My day 1 outfit

The Les Hommes show was brilliant too, a very Lawrence of Arabia feel with an emphasis to detail on the trousers. Lots of sheer, ruched, drop crotch brilliance... and a fantastic black sequined trouser number. I filmed and edited a video also on Buckstyle.com, find it here.

The designers (Tom Notte and Bart Vandebosch) of Les Hommes following our interview

The night ended up with a fantastic party called "Punks Wear Prada". I tell you i have never seen so many models in one place...Model Ash at Punks Wear Prada party

DAY 2
A jam packed day of press appointments, shows and presentation. Plus more ticket arrivals... Prada the most exciting yet. Neil Barrett, Car shoe, Churches, Sergio Rossi, Diesel and the stupendous Alexander McQueen. At Sergio Rossi and Churches there was an emerging trend of using foam like material on the soles as supposed to the traditional leather or rubber soles.

McQueen showed a presentation and a short film this year(Watch a clip of the short film here on Buckstyle.com), opting out from a grand runway show, something i have grown to love and sometimes prefer. You get a really detailled look at all the garments, in a more relaxed atmosphere, with the PRs on hand to explain ideas and inspirations. The collection did not let me down... Absolutely amazing collection. Based on paint splatters and with a somewhat workwear feel. Paint splays prints, hand painted and hand-drawn patterns on blazers and shirts, frantic and kinetic splatters on jeans and hats. Bloody brilliant.
Lots of the familiar faces of the Milan fashion week crowd present at the brilliant outdoor location, McQueens Milanese showroom.
Later we went to the famous Frankie Morello fashion week party…. To much fun… Amanda Lapore, half naked Milanese models on stage, and more models. One of the best parties I have ever been too!My Day 2 outfit for MFWAmanda Lapore at Frankie Morello party

Beautiful sporty gladiator sandals at Sergio Rossi

Paint splattered shorts art McQueen
Painted seam blazer at McQueen

A burnt car at Diesel...

Prada invite

Elliott and Steve discussing the importance of fashion in our lives

The Duomo

DAY 3

The third day saw the Moschino show today and the long awaited Prada show. The Moschino show revealed newspaper prints and floral prints, the show had a nice atmosphere. The Prada show was at 7pm, and the invite that came to the Buckstyle team left all of us wandering what he theme might be. The invitation showed an enlarged script with some unknown prose on it and the walls of the show had similar text on the walls.The show was a suprise to me for a SS show. Muiccia choose sombre and dark colours as opposed to the brighter shades we had seen in other shows. Grey i feel will become a popular colour in suiting in SS. The collection showed deep Vs in shirts and raw edges on shirts. Tank tops and lots of suits. Click here for the video i filmed and edited.

After the show we were treated to drinks at the venue some perculiar black bread with cheese canapes. Me not been a fan of cheese and my wheat intolerance meant that it was not at all enjoyable. But Steve and Elliott could not get enough of it. Canape recipe to come on Buckstyle.Elliott and myself discussing the joys and woes of fashion in our lives after Prada show

My Day 3 outfit

DAY 4
The Dsquared show like last year was a fun production, this year based around the idea of camping and the great outdoors, with the set resembling a campsite with tree trunks and tents. This seemed like a transition to the mountaineering trend we saw in some of the AW09 catwalks last season. Lots of models in shorts, plaid on garments, backpacks, protective ponchos and most importantly, tight speedos. Mmmmm! The show ended with rain (part of the production)... I did film some of the show, i will try and get that edited as soon as possible and post on here. In the mean time, have a look at the show report here.

We bumped into this lovely fellow after the Dsquared show, no it is not Elliott dressed as an egyptian.Day 4 outfit

Woolrich Woolen Mills followed the Dsquared show with a chat with Daiki Sazuki, the creative director of Woolrich at the showroom presentation. He talked about his inspirations for the collection been the surf culture from the past decades in America. He himself is a keen surfer referenced 1960s surf culture and drew inspiration from outfits they wore then. A recurring pattern within the collection had this nautical image of a ship and ropes:
The clothes were very wearable, catch the show reports and Top5 on Buckstyle later today...

Trends i picked up on in Milan include:
Shorts and crop trousers are here to stay with shorts getting shorter
Bright primary colours
Rucksack and backpacks everywhere
Grey in suiting
Foam soled shoes

Will keep you updated on all the fashion week going ons... Ciao, the next time you here from me will be in Paris... Bon Voyage to me!
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