The Fashion Vulture

Things

2012-01-22T19:10:00.001Z

Farewell to the Season

2011-12-31T14:27:00.001Z

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. I can't tell you how happy I am to be back in Dublin this year with friends and family. Very much looking forward to New Year's celebrations this evening. I'll be popping up some sneaky shots from the shoots I did before Christmas soon. Happy New Year!

Atelier Franck Durand

2011-12-07T10:29:00.001Z

Spiegel Publishing House, Verner Pantone, 1969

Paul Newman by Leo Fuchs, 1959

Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia with her first husband Howard Oxenberg

Times Square, New York, November 1976

Harper's BAZAAR, Octobre 1966. Image by James Moore

Billy Mann by Larry Clark

CZ and Max at the beach by Nan Goldin

Franck Durand is the artistic director of Isabel Marant and has also worked with labels like Balmain, Guiseppi Zanotti, Hermes and Chanel.He is the husband of Emanuelle Alt. On his blog he has collected some of the loveliest images I've seen in a long time. Take a peek.

Shoot Inspiration

2011-12-06T16:56:00.001Z

Images from Style.com

Looking forward to styling a spring shoot next week. Cannot get enough of Prada's Resort collection for next year.

Suit up

2011-12-06T12:02:00.001Z

Oro Botanico by Thomas Straub for IO Donna November 2011

Marni for H&M

2011-11-29T12:38:00.001Z

Backstage at Marni Spring/Summer 2012

Now this I am excited about. Don't get me wrong, I love a bit of Donatella and the Versace aesthetic - in fact, I've just bought a black satin dress with a dirty big gold cross on the front embroidered with multi-coloured jewels, which is vaguely inspired by her older brother's work. Anway, this collection is something I may consider queueing up for next March. No one else can make granny-style pop socks look this good.

The range is set to feature pleated skirts, dresses, cropped trousers and jacquard knits and for those who have been lusting after founder Consuelo Castiglioni's fresh and vibrant take on accessories will be pleased to hear that shoes, bags and scarves will also feature in the collection.

Below is a sneak peek at the Marni for H&M range, being styled by Consuelo and overseen by Margareta van den Bosch, creative advisor H&M.

Images from Columbine and Style.com

Classic D&G

2011-11-28T23:45:00.001Z

Images from Fashion Gone Rogue

I gasped when I saw these images for Dolce & Gabanna's 2011 jewellery line. Shot by Giampaolo Sgura, styled by Davide Diodovich and featuring the bombshell that is Bianca Balti. It hardly gets more glamourous than this.

Argon

2011-11-27T19:52:00.001Z

I recently contributed two articles to the new online magazine Argon. Set up by an Irish mafia of creatives based in London, the website covers everything from fashion to all things cultural. The first issue was dedicated to Irish stylists, artists, designers and writers working at home, in London and abroad.

The website looks great, the shoots are brilliant and there's some really interesting content. Go check it out.

A day on the bog

2011-11-26T19:36:00.001Z

These belong to a shoot I styled back during the summer. Shot by Philip White, it was published in the Sunday Independent's Life magazine. Julie is a beautiful model and fitted our brief of 'Irishness' perfectly.

Great day, lots of laughs and a few dodgy encounters with creepy Royston Vasey style locals (pit stop in a pub revealed chopped onions on the windowsills in the toilets).

Styling from the boot of a car always lends itself more easily to spontaneity. We even ended up coming across an old abandoned house, complete with 60s/70s floral wallpaper an old aga and a box of Kellog's Cornflakes from 1994.

Thread

2011-11-24T17:18:00.001Z

I'm so excited about Thread. Once an issue is over I'm dying to get stuck into the next and since Issue 2 I've been upgraded to editorial sub editor. Aisling Farinella (editor in chief/creative director), Garret Pitcher (commercial director) and Keith Nally (creative director) are the driving force behind the magazine and have brought it from pipe dream right through to a very popular reality.

A publication like this for Dublin has been needed for a long time. Some of Ireland's best aspiring, as well as established, photographers, stylists, writers and designers helped to bring the content together as well as the boutiques on the back's of whom this project got off the ground. Amazing.

Check out my interview with Simone Rocha and Celestine Cooney in Issue 1 and with Sorcha O'Raghallaigh in Issue 2.

The magazine is available in boutiques across the city.

London

2011-11-24T16:43:00.001Z

I'm off to London next Thursday for a long weekend of Christmas lights, ice-skating and shopping. It will completely wipe out my bank accounts, but sure - so what? I've been making a list ~~and checking it twice~~ of things that my wardrobe will welcome with open arms upon my return. And in the lead-up to this trip I've been trawling throught archives over at Freshnet for some high-street inspiration (one day it'll be Dover St. Market).

My favourite is Columbine. Go get creeping.

Images from Columbine's blog.

It's like that girl stole my inner most fashion desires and is now wearing them around somewhere in Sweden. God... those Scandinavians really know how rock a pointy pump.

Interiobsessed

2011-11-24T16:15:00.001Z

Images from Desire to Inspire

Oh hi! There's been an absence. But it's fine.

Lately I'm completely obsessed with interior design. I love sleek and minimal, but could you really live in a house like that for all the live-long day? No is the answer. It needs to have a cosy feel to it as well, and not in a Williamsburg empty-white-loft-with-plywood-furniture-and-a-stove-top-kettle kind of way. It has to be a place where you could imagine yourself flouncing in from work, or wherever, dumping your coat and bags and making a bee-line for the couch/tv combo.

Anyway, above were some places I came across today that I was bet into.

Take Ivy

2011-07-28T10:11:00.003+01:00

During the 1960s a Japanese photographer named Teruyoshi Hayashida traveled through America taking photos of the students attending the eight major Ivy League schools in America. He published his images in a book called 'Take Ivy'. Seems like said book has become something of a prep style bible and has recently been selling for up to $1000 online previous to its re-release.

This year 'Take 8 Ivy' is to be published. It covers a period from 1965 to 1985 and focuses more on architecture, campus grounds, sporting activities and other aspects of university life other than pure style.

It's been quite a while since I've found something so interesting I couldn't help but share it here. After looking at some of the earlier images from the 60s, I know understand what my sister was talking about when she said she'd like to live in that decade. In a retrospective and rose tinted glasses sort of way, they make me feel like there is nothing more I would rather do than adopt the whole preppy style, play field hockey and spend hours in one of those beautiful old libraries. I am very jealous of those students and their time spent there.

Who could say that they would turn up their nose if somehow an opportunity arose to attend an Ivy League college? You could take up rowing, or basketball, or baseball. Smoke, drink scotch and eat bacon with maple syrup every day for breakfast without feeling guilty. Not to mention the general excitement of the 60s and all of the incredible things that took place in America during that decade.

Here are some images from Take Ivy. They have completely charmed me.

Images from: Oyster, Men of Habit, and The Trad

The Never Ending Story

2011-05-21T14:54:00.002+01:00

Romance Was Born at the State Library of New South Wales, May 1, 2011

This show broke my heart. The Australian Youth Choir preformed as well as the Youth Orchestra. It was a sort of progression for the label's designers, Anna and Luke, known for their playful designs - this collection was refined, elegant and oh so beautiful.

The NSW State Library is such an historic building. A gigantic space with large curved staircases, beautiful study rooms and 100s metres of dark wooden book cases full of leather bound books. Backstage was a frantic blur of rushing models, hair stylists, makeup artists and manicurists.

Once I found friends post interviews, we meandered into the pre-show area. Lo and behold, Cate Blanchett sauntered in, nothing like a bit of Hollywood glamour to put you in your place (Not to mention Susie Bubble (nerd fashion blogger crush - hi from a distance!)).

When we got to our seats, the scene was truly breathtaking. The orchestra started and the models began to enter from the second floor of the library, two at a time, filtering their way down through the different levels and steps to the double runway. Once the they had walked, they took their places, side-by-side, on the first floor balcony, which was the perfect spot to take a second glance at the clothes.

The design duo kept aspects of their signature whimsy in the floor length and tiered fur gowns, the dramatic hair styles and the theatrical makeup. But their maturity as a label in the the lace, silk and sumptuous colours of each garment. Bloch provided the ballet poms for the show, which were adorned with bells, embroidery and sequins.

Below are my beauty interviews and makeup/hair wrap up for the show:

The atmosphere pre-show at Romance Was Born was electric. Makeup director Natasha Severino (for M.A.C) collaborated with the designers, Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales, to create three looks for the show — gold, glitter and chrome. “The inspiration has been 1920s meets The Neverending Story,” she says. “So I took a lot of references from ’20s illustrator Erté, and mixed the refinement of his illustrations with the youthfulness, beauty and sadness from the Child Empress in The Neverending Story. The three different looks are beautiful and feminine. We’ve evolved this year with Romance Was Born, we’ve grown up a bit. It’s more refined than in the past.”

Alan White, for ghd, created the hairstyles and reflected the brand’s new maturity in each look. “We’re bringing in the ’20s wave with slick hair, as opposed to frizzy and flyaway,” he says. “We’re also using the same colour for the extensions in the more outlandish looks; it’s still got a touch of fantasy but with more control.” To complete the look, Sally Hansen nail technicians used the Salon Effects range in Misbehave and Skinny Jeans, topped off with the White Nail Art Pen to create vintage-inspired half-moon shapes at the base.

All images and beauty review text from Harper's BAZAAR Australia.

Nobis

2011-05-18T12:41:00.001+01:00

Backstage interview with Julia Nobis at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, May 5, 2011

Harper’s BAZAAR: You’ve done a lot of campaigns this season. Which ones were your favourite, and who was the most enjoyable to work with?

Julia Nobis: “I did Proenza Schouler’s campaign for S/S 2011. I worked with photographer Willy Vanderperre on that and it was really great; I just love the Proenza boys. Both Jack [McCollough] and Lazaro [Hernandez] are amazing. We had wanted to get together anyway as friends so we could all hang out and then the idea of me modelling for the campaign developed from there. I love it when you’ve got a good relationship with either the designers or stylists that goes beyond a purely professional level. It makes me feel so much more comfortable to have that friendship when I’m working at shows and on shoots. Then [I feel] it’s OK if I make mistakes or do something clumsy.
I also did the Balenciaga campaign about three weeks ago and that was amazing.”

HB: Who are your friends on the fashion circuit?

JN: “Here in Australia I hang out with Myf Shepherd, Lauren Brown and Ruby-Jean [Wilson]. I actually lived with Amanda Ware and Ruby in New York in a models’ apartment. Overseas, I’m good friends with Hanne Gaby [Odiele], Kasia Struss and Caroline Brasch Nielsen. Caroline is listed as my sister on Facebook, actually.”

HB: What draws you back to RAFW each year?

JN: “Well I live in Sydney, so that helps. When you work at home it’s totally different to overseas. It’s so much fun; you know everyone you’re working with already. It’s also very relaxed here in comparison to abroad, which is a bonus. Working in New York, London and Paris can be pretty stressful. I also wanted to come home so that I could see my friends and family too. I’ve got a baby brother; he’s 18 months old and I only get to see him a couple of times a year. It’s good to be back.”

HB: Who are you favourite designers?

JN: “Proenza Schouler, Balenciaga … I sound biased because I’ve done their campaigns. I love Alexander Wang too and Alex is a total sweetheart. Here in Australia, I love Ellery and Kate Sylvester. Kate’s entire crew are so good to work with. It’s the same with Zimmermann too.”

HB: What do you do to prepare for fashion week?

JN: “I try and get as much sleep as possible, just because I know I won’t get any for the next however long. That’s the main thing. I guess a little bit of exercise never hurts, I like walking quite a lot. I would really like get back into martial arts. I used to do judo when I was younger but at this stage I’ve dislocated my knee twice, once from judo and once from a skiing accident, so I had to take a break.”

HB: What’s your beauty routine throughout fashion week?

JN: “I never ever use makeup wipes. No matter how soft I’m told they may be, it’s not going to happen. I will use a proper makeup remover, typically Bioderma Crealine H20. I use whatever moisturiser I can get my hands on and practically bathe in it so that my skin is really moisturised. And I always have Lucas’ Papaw Ointment with me because it really saves my skin from becoming too damaged from all of the makeup.”

HB: What are your favourite cities?

JN: “New York, of course. I’m moving there in June. London too; it’s like a big Sydney but everyone has a British accent.”

HB: Do you have a favourite place in those cities?

JN: “McCarrens Park in Williamsburg [Brooklyn], New York. There’s this great tree there and I love to sit up in it. People are usually more confused by the fact that I’m not wearing shoes rather than that I’m up a tree. But I find it’s a good place to go and relax. Or else I would say a fair few of my friends’ couches. Here in Sydney I live in Dover Heights. I hang out a lot at some of the cafes around there and the places all along King Street in Newtown are so much fun.”

All images and interview from: Harper's BAZAAR Australia

Fin

2011-05-08T12:01:00.003+01:00

Kate Sylvester run-through

Dion Lee's invite. Turns out the colours of the clothes were inspired by those of different medicines.

My last week here in Sydney has been one of the very best. RAFW and working with the HarpersBAZAAR.com.au girls was hectic, manic, stressful, fun, etc. In another few years Australian Fashion Week is going to be bigger than anything the founder, Simon Lock, could have imagined. From blogging about the week over the past two years it was surreal to attend the shows. The designers, creative directors (like Mark Vasallo for example), PR teams, models and stylists did an exceptional job. I'll miss my work here terribly, but I'm sure I'll be back and can't wait for it.

The Oracle

2011-04-28T11:21:00.000+01:00

First ever invite. Excited.

Principal

2011-04-23T12:27:00.000+01:00

Line II

2011-04-23T11:01:00.001+01:00

Dion Lee, the genius Australian designer, is releasing a new collection separate from his mainline called Line II, hence the post title. The clothes are more wearable with soft elegant tailoring, but - and this is important for Lee - it's not to be confused with a ‘diffusion’. The presentation of this collection is really beautiful and suits the clothes wonderfully. Art director Kate Rogers and photographer Bec Parsons have created something that should be in a gallery and not just a look book.

While I'm at it, I thought I might include images from Lee's limited edition book showcasing his dreamy Autumn/Winter 2010 collection 'How To Be Invisible'. Shot by Tim Richardson and styled by HB's own Christine Centenera the team have managed to combine diaphanous studio imagery and stunning location work. The result is once again a seamless combination of fashion and art (and oh, how I hate those two words side by side but in this case it's more than true).

Brothel creepers

2011-04-23T04:11:00.002+01:00

Finally in my possession. Let the Henry VIII impersonations begin!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

Perfect

2011-04-13T11:24:00.000+01:00

Amazing. Thank you Andoni & Arantxa who shot Valerie van der Graaf (unreal!) for Yo Dona España #309. Makes you want to be super-fun, carefree and living life while somehow managing an immaculate hair and make up combination.

McQueen Autumn/Winter '96

2011-04-10T08:09:00.000+01:00

How exceptional? From the get go. Complete with Kristen McMenamy. This collection is only furthering my obsession with 90s fashion. Not grunge, or rave or anything ridiculous like that - just beautiful elegant tailoring, topped off with a red/brown lip.

ALK by Hedi

2011-03-31T09:38:00.000+01:00

I nearly seized when I saw her wearing this fur coat two months ago. And now this? By Hedi? He brings out such fantastic character and depth in his subjects. The Gore Vidal shots below these are some of the best portrait images I've ever seen. I hope that if/when he does come back to design his diary won't suffer.

Tellement Bon

2011-03-30T13:18:00.001+01:00

(Oh hi the pair of shoes that I just bought!)

A new obsession with Yasmin le Bon combined with gigantic waves of 90s nostalgia have brought me here. Despite this Loewe collection being Winter 88/89 it was about 5/6 years ahead of its time. Shot by Peter Lindbergh, one of the best to shoot fashion in black and white - not to mention helping create the era of the supers. Below are shots of Winter 11/12 - recognise much? Chocolatey red lipstick, slick hair, loose leather, fur collars, chunky heels? It's all coming back.

Images: Style.com & yasminlebon.net

Dead, wrapped in plastic

2011-03-20T11:55:00.008Z

One of the best tv series ever made. How I've-just-discovered-something-deep-as-if-no-one-ever-knew-about-it-before of me, but still. Apart from the delicious story line and fantastic and disgusting characters created by Lynch and Frost, the costume design for that time (1990) was groundbreaking and has become timeless.

Audrey Horne the mentally unstable siren who can't help but get involved in other peoples' business is the obvious choice here when it comes to style. She looked flawless. Beautiful clothes, great hair and makeup. What a crack team they had working on that show.

But my favourite, purely from an aesthetic standpoint, is Jocelyn Packard with her slicked back hair, silk shirts, negligés, tailored suits and red lipstick.

Of course, Agent Cooper wasn't without his moments. A crisp white shirt, black suit, beige trench and a steaming cup of hot coffee a day keep the doctor away.

Costume design by Sara Markowitz, hair by Anette E. Fabrizi and makeup by Carla Rosetto Fabrizzi for 29 episodes from 1990-1991.

(Apologies for poor image quality)

90s Liu

2011-03-20T08:25:00.000Z

Shot by Hans Feurer and styled by Anne Christensen, this is one of the most beautiful shoots I've seen in a long time. It's so 90s but in the best dark lip, dark-hair-in-a-bob, over sized shirting kind of way. I love Liu Wen, she is an amazing model, not to mention being the first Asian model to even secure an Estée Lauder contract. This whole shoot smacks of summer. Delightful.

Grey

2011-03-20T08:12:00.000Z

Pauline Van der Cruysse by Arnaud Pyvka

Back when she was blonde

2011-03-20T08:04:00.000Z

So many white shoots buzzing around for this month and next. This one here is Britt Maren for Vogue Germany by Knoepfel & Indlekofer. Wardrobe features clothes by Max Mara, Louis Vuitton, Tom Ford. Styled by Nicola Knels.

Rain

2011-03-20T07:54:00.000Z

Photography by Susanne Kindt (www.susannekindt.com) and styling by Krissie Torgerson (www.krissietorgerson.com)

Arizona

2011-03-20T07:46:00.001Z

Can you believe she's had a baby? Thank god she decided to come back to modelling.

Shot by Paolo Roversi and styled by Nicoletta Santoro for Vogue China.

Yes

2011-02-14T08:08:00.002Z

Spring/Summer 2011 from ANT!PODiUM on Vimeo.

Trompe l'Oeil

2010-12-16T13:05:00.000Z

This is so behind the times but regardless, my love for this collection knows no bounds and I have to post it. Along with being selected as part of NewGen by the British Fashion Council, designing a capsule collection for Topshop, working with Atelier Swarovski and having her creations sold at Colette, Browns and Penelope, Mary recently was awarded the Swedish Textiles Award (€100,000 to be spent on materials in Sweden), no surprises there.

Her surrealist graphic prints inspired by the decor in portraits by 70s photography superstars like Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. She wanted to put the room on the woman, rather than the woman in the room. The extraordinary imagery on her garments included optical illusions such as fluttering chiffon curtains, structured lampshade skirts and a window frame neck piece. {Side note: One of her dresses was featured in the current issue of HB Australia modelled impishly by girl of the moment Bambi Northwood Blythe.}

Katrantzou so wholly deserves whatever praise, award or horrendously large financial backing comes her way. I cannot wait to see what she creates for A/W 2012.

Dress up

2010-12-09T12:31:00.001Z

Ashley Smith for Topshop, shot by Angelo Pennetta and Styled by Francesca Burns.

Every day of every year

2010-12-09T12:24:00.000Z

Images by Fahion Gone Rogue

Flapper

2010-10-26T22:04:00.001+01:00

Louis Vuitton

Prada

Sonia Rykiel

The Outsiders

2010-10-25T11:40:00.001+01:00

I was extremely giddy this summer when I assisted on this delicious shoot styled by Aisling Farinella and shot by Andreas Petterson. It was published in 180 magazine, which is a genius website for stylists and photographers to have their work published online. Liz Brennan designed the set, makeup was by Eimear Sweeney and hair was by Joe McGivern at Morgan, models Nasrin (also at Morgan) and Alan.

I love the clothes so very, very much. Aisling did such a good job in how she selected the pieces, jewellery, accessories and props. Some of the clothes were from a props warehouse (long johns) and some were by John Rocha and Danielle Romeril.

Totally Dublin shoot, October 2010

2010-10-11T01:04:00.000+01:00

Shot by Rich Lambe, styling by me, make up by Mary Moore, hair by Paul Davey and Ryan Skelton for Davey Davey, model Sarah Mc @ Morgan.

Home again

2010-10-05T10:47:00.000+01:00

Photographed by Venetia Scott and styled by Marie-Amelie Sauvé

Images from fashiongonerogue.com

журнáл.

2010-10-05T05:01:00.002+01:00

Fallen is an Australian magazine dedicated to discovering and supporting Aussie creatives. It 'strives to confirm their importance within the arts in a global context'. They aim to present their obsessions on the page and in my opinion achieve just that. The photography is excellent and their choice of features is original and innovative. How happy I am to have found such a gem.

Produced by the London College of Fashion, this magazine is ad free and full of delicious text as well as plenty of incredible photography. The Jewish inspired shoot is so beautifully shot and the styling is exquisite.

Russh is a bi-monthly dose of fashion education. Stevie Dance and the rest of the team at this magazine deliver the most well planned fashion magazine issue after issue. It always feels like no stone is left unturned in their efforts to produce two publications every month. It's thorough with the most delightful attention to detail I've seen in almost any magazine.

Strange creatures

2010-10-04T00:20:00.001+01:00

How interesting it would have been to be at that ball...

This boy wants hot chocolate

2010-09-28T06:17:00.002+01:00

So here I am in Australia, listening to Julian and smashing my way through a giant box of Forrero Rocher. It's still quite chilly at the moment as it's only Spring and so the giant suitcase full of shorts, dresses and silk tops I brought with me isn't quite furnishing my needs for cosy Penneys slipper socks and fleece tracksuits. I'm hoping any hint of the cold will be a distant memory very soon.

At the moment I'm staying with my sister in Adelaide, which is such a lovely city. There's a little shopping district near us called Norwood that has the most delicious little shops, especially Bird Cage and Kitschy. The latter being the nicest place I've been in a while. I wanted everything from in there, which hasn't happened with a shop for about two or more years.

I am very excited to start my internship in Sydney, only three weeks to go. I must start looking for an apartment, I'm being very lazy about it. Nobody wants to end up in an apartment with a bunch of freaks and that could happen, so I've been avoiding it.

Below are some pictures from Peppermint. I posted about it ages and ages ago, and fresh green fashion is their game. 5% of their profits go to various social and eco charities, the paper is recycled, they use eco friendly inks etc., etc. It doesn't have the greatest content and it is a little heavy on the old 'save the rain forest and the baby animals' side - not that that's a bad thing but it doesn't quite gel with fashion, if you see what I mean. I'd love for a fashion magazine to do all of the above but just not make it the main focus. But it's still pretty, portrays a positive body image and is nicely laid out so it deserves another mention.

Obsédé

2010-09-20T11:00:00.001+01:00

The daughter of federal judges, Kate Lanphear, originally from Virginia, is the style director at Elle US. She began her fashion career in Australia, where she took any and every fashion-related job she could find, working late nights as a bartender to pay the rent. Eventually she found work at Australian Vogue and Australian Harper's Bazaar. Eight years later, she returned to the States and took a job at American Harper's Bazaar. It wasn't long before her work caught the attention of Elle.

I've been totally preoccupied by Lanphear's clothes for the past year and a half. There are a handful of blogs dedicated solely to her style; she has attained cult status among the urban youths of Japan and works alongside Joe Zee as they launch Elle ever higher into the fashmag stratosphere. You might want to copy her, but I imagine it would end in disaster. I dislike 'rocker' or 'goth' looks, but this woman has soaked up influences from all kinds of rock n' roll and has combined them to create an outstanding modern aesthetic.

Tank love

2010-09-19T09:14:00.001+01:00

I've posted about Ellen Rogers before and think her work is excellent and so interesting, what's more I think Tank is one of the best magazines around and would fall to the ground unconscious if I ever got the chance to work there. So this collaboration is, in my opinion, flawless. Pandora Lennard styled the shoot and together with Rogers they have created something beyond the trend cycle that is pure fantasy, girlish whimsy and unearthly beauty rolled into one.

The Name of the Rose starring Kristine Drinke...

Photos from fashiongonerogue.com

Decisions

2010-09-19T08:50:00.002+01:00

After much thought about whether or not to keep this blog going, and after deciding I wanted to delete it, I have completely changed my mind and will keep posting. It's not that the content here is so mind blowing that the world can't be without it - far from it, it's more that from time to time posting feels like the only thing I want to do with what I see or what I've done. I often squirm at the thought of posting long drawn out pieces and occasionally battle with my thoughts that blogging is a very strange thing to do, howandever things will keep ticking away slowly here for anyone who would cares to stop by.

I did a shoot this Thursday. It was one of the best days I've had in such a long time. I was working with a superb bunch of people, all so lovely and talented. Our locations were scattered all over the city centre. I don't think I've ever been so excited about 'working' before. It will be going to print in the next month or so, when it does I'll put up a link for it. Below ist eine kleine sneaky preview.

Oh yes

2010-09-02T13:02:00.001+01:00

Trips

2010-08-31T12:31:00.002+01:00

I'm heading off to Sydney in three weeks. Well, to Adelaide first for a little holiday and then onwards and upwards to NSW. My main concern is the flight I'll have to take on my own - not into it. Got my trusty Dormadinas though, courtesy of lax pharmaceutical regulations in España. Two stop-overs, 5 and 4 hours. The Singapore stop should be nice enough, they have unbelievable noodles there.

Before I go I'll be shooting with Rich Lambe again. I'm very excited. We've been looking at various derelict buildings around Dublin for our setting. Can't wait till we have our models sorted and to start picking up the clothes.

Finalement, I wrote for the latest issue of Qlix, 'Fantasy' and it's out at at long last.

Boys

2010-08-30T15:58:00.003+01:00

This editorial shot by David Fransisco for Magnetica is so very beautiful. Very 'A Single Man'-ish. It looks like it came from a far away decade and that it wasn't just set up like it. I love the soft focus, the styling and for once the fact that it's two men and not girls.

That's cool Miuccia

2010-08-17T13:25:00.000+01:00

These are images from Prada's Fantasy Lookbook for Autumn/Winter 2010. The Illustrations are by Alexander Reichert and Fausto Fantinouli with mostly backstage pictures shot by Phil Meech and the same art direction team as the previous seasons. They are extremely good, the colours are so refreshing for a design house to go with for Autumn/Winter. They're full of that modern elegance Miuccia created for the whole collection. Well done lads, says you.

Life shoot

2010-08-15T14:03:00.001+01:00

The Ebay.ie shoot came out today in life. The spread of each stylist/photographer looked good, v glad to see they laid it out well. A huge thanks to Rich, Nikki, Chloe, Billy, Natalie, Andreas, James and Emily from Thinkhouse and Constance from the Sunday Independent.

Pure delights

2010-08-07T14:29:00.017+01:00

Images: www.fashiongonerogue.com

It's designer

2010-08-07T14:21:00.002+01:00

70s

2010-08-01T11:18:00.010+01:00

Ashley Smith and Masha Novoselova by Ahmet Polat for Vogue Turkey

Thity9Steps for I Heart Candy

2010-08-01T10:52:00.008+01:00

Zine

2010-07-28T16:17:00.004+01:00

I love how accessible the notion of creating a zine is. The one below is a relatively new NY based publiction that was featured on Style Bubble there a few days ago. I love the layout and the black/white/red look to it. I'm sure it wouldn't be too expensive to do or to make it look good. I think Dublin is crying out for something like this and if it was done well, I bet it would spread like wildfire.

TOP ISSUE TWO OUT NOW from Danielle Top on Vimeo.

Things

2010-07-28T00:34:00.010+01:00

Life

2010-07-24T10:36:00.007+01:00

As previously mentioned, I entered a kind of competition on Facebook via the Style Hunter page and was selected along with three other stylists and four photographers to style a double page for the Sunday Independent's Life magazine, using clothes purchased from Ebay.ie. I was teamed up with Rich Lambe a recent photography graduate and ended up with some really great shots.

Thinkhouse organised the whole thing and everything went swimmingly. Lots of tasty sandwiches and caffeine overload made us all very creative and the ever talented Andreas Pettersson was on hand as mentor to help us get the best shots possible.

The looks I went for were somewhat inspired by the Rodarte A/W 2010 collection. Lots of burgundy and cream with a few harder pieces thrown in for good measure. Once they've been published I'll lash them up here.

Here's a couple of pics snapped during our shoot.

Test

2010-07-19T15:47:00.011+01:00

This is a test I did recently with Sue Loughnane and Johnny. Felt men's hats are the future.

Update: Published in the Sunday Business Post's Agenda magazine on 1st August.

Nymphenburg porcelain

2010-07-11T19:50:00.010+01:00

Alright lads... just relax. My beloved Riccardo Tisci (no I'm not mates with him, but in fairness it's only a matter of time) presented the much pared down 10 piece couture collection in Paris this past week. “My style is about the little details. If a dress goes by with the kind of speed of my shows, you might go, ‘Oh, there’s a lace dress.’ You won’t see why it took 1,600 hours to make." he said.

Exhibited in a hotel particulier at the Place Vendome, the reduced collection is themed around Frida Kahlo’s art work Tisci created a space in which each of the designs can be carefully considered, talked about and examined. I love this way of doing things and I'm glad to see that some designers are toning it down when it comes to displaying their couture pieces. They are such special creations that they should be admired up close.

This close-up, a jacket embroidered with alabaster stones and 3-D ceramic skulls, bisected with encrusted white lace varnished to look like Nymphenburg porcelain is one taster (Vogue.com).

Forgive me for being a stick in the mud, but what with our current international recession, flagrant displays of wealth and indulgence have no place on the runways. The designs should speak for themselves. The Chanel Winter 2010/2011 show this year used part of a glacier to highlight the disastrous effects of global warming (?!) on the runway. It was shipped from Sweden across Europe to Paris and then back again, causing what I imagine was the largest carbon footprint ever for a show which claimed to bring attention to current environmental issues. In saying this, I do believe that a mood should be created to go along with the looks, but transporting icebergs? Nein danke.

I see you

2010-07-11T13:40:00.005+01:00

I really love fashion videos. I think a designer (or a magazine, photographer, stylist, etc.) can express a mood or a theme much more clearly to their audience through this medium. Plus distribution costs are cut almost completely. If the designer has a facebook page then all of their fans will see it. If they upload it to Youtube or Vimeo thats a couple of thousand more who will get to watch it. Quite genius really.

The below video for Carly Hunter's Spring Summer '11 collection is very beautiful. I could watch it again and again. I love that it's in black and white - it suits the pieces perfectly.

Carly Hunter SS11 Non Ho Sonno from Carly Hunter on Vimeo.

IN SEARCH OF TRUTH from JASON LAST for Complex Geometries on Vimeo.

Samantha Pleet A/W 2010 from Samantha Pleet on Vimeo.

DACE Fall 2010 from Dace on Vimeo.

(Minus the music on that last video it's actually very pretty)

Miss Rogers

2010-07-10T13:53:00.007+01:00

Ellen Rogers is a London based photographer. All of her work is analogue and does not utilise any digital equipment or computer based manipulation (other than scanning the end result). According to Ellen, her techniques mostly come from experimentation with traditional darkroom processes.

Red & white

2010-07-10T11:07:00.004+01:00

Got some exciting news recently. I'm going to be styling 2 pages of an 8 page 'young stylists/photographers in Ireland' kind of shoot. I put these mood boards together for each look. I've veered in a slightly different direction with the second look. Fingers crossed it doesn't look disastrous.

I'm also starting an internship at Totally Dublin this month. I'm rather chuffed about it. I'll be able to work on some more styling with the magazine as well as writing for the blog and the magazine itself. A couple of other things might crop up too that I'll mention once they've happened.

On top of these things, I've been doing some work with Johnny recently. Tests shoots and the like. I really love it. Nothing like being surrounded by piles of delicious clothes.

Finally, there is a project in the pipeline that may take me to foreign shores later on in the year. This makes me hyper and terrified at the same time.

I'll post the images from the shoot etc. soon enough.

Block me

2010-07-10T10:38:00.007+01:00

Shot by Doug Inglish with styling by James Worthington Demolet

Oh how I love this shoot! Chanel Iman looks so pretty and picture perfect as a 60s dress-up queen. The bright sunshine, the locations and rich textures in the background provide the perfect backdrop here. The clothes... Rodarte (swoon), Viktor & Rolfe, Prada, Prabal Gurung, Alexendre Vauthier and New York Vintage were quite clearly expertly chosen and styled.

The Block has been churning out delicious and inspired shoots since it started not too long ago in 2009. I can't wait to see the next issue already.

So they kept that cover then...

2010-05-30T19:00:00.003+01:00

Industrie Magazine — Issue 01 from Wednesday on Vimeo.

Oh hai, Industrie. I'm looking forward to savagely reading through your pages soon enough.

RAFW

2010-05-06T11:42:00.008+01:00

Rousemount Australian Fashion Week is in full swing with the designers producing creations that are elegant, feminine and inspired. As always the designers who show at RAFW produce clothes that are fantastically wearable. One such designer is Karla Spetic. Each look was simple and refined. Silk dresses, tshirts and Australian outback inspired prints were combined and styled with finesse.

(Photography by Ren Vaile)

Le, le, le...

2010-05-02T15:15:00.009+01:00

This was shot for the 22nd April edition of Le Cool. Shot by Cliona Flaherty and styled by Aisling Farinella. I was lucky enough to assist on the day. That Miu Miu shirt made my stomach flip.

This film was shot by Rich Gilligan also styled by Aisling and features Laragh McCann for Le Cool. It is beautiful. The light, the song and the setting are divine. The styling is so pretty, it makes me want to run away along the train tracks too.

SS 10

2010-05-01T11:19:00.014+01:00

Kostas Murkudis is a genius and his designs have broken my heart. If buried beneath a pile of them I know I would be overwhelmed only with contentment. On top of the beauty of the designs, this is one of the most beautiful lookbooks I've seen all year. The styling is exquisite, the photography is sublime, the backdrop is perfect and the model moves well and suits the garments perfectly.

These gently tattered beauties mark a distinct change from the rigid colour-blocking in Murkudis' past. The designs are fluid and organic and include his signature blacks and creams.

Be sure to look at the website and pay special attention to the AW 11 collection. It's too much.

Accessoires

2010-04-26T16:39:00.006+01:00

Oh, how lovely. Quels coleurs, quels visages, quels créations! This collection truly was sublime.

Chrome

2010-04-25T12:50:00.008+01:00

I styled this shoot as part of a final year magazine project, Chrome. A huge thank you to photographer Johnny McMillan, Vanessa Jobb from Morgan, John Cheese from Toni & Guy, make-up artist Sarah Jane Wai O'Flynn, Indigo & Cloth, Urban Outfitters, Buffalo, All Saints and Wild Child for helping to make it all happen.

Dance Dance

2010-04-15T14:18:00.009+01:00

Jan Masney is a London based photographer who recently shot these unbelievable images. They are so fantastically dramatic. The fabric of the dresses works perfectly with each balletic pose. Bravo, says you.

I won't kneel

2010-04-12T20:27:00.003+01:00

All I'm going to say is: Pam Hogg jumpsuit...

Lenaah

2010-04-09T12:13:00.010+01:00

Eleanor Hardwick is 16 years old. She is from Oxfordshire, England. She takes pictures. According to her website she became interested in photography at the age of twelve when she began to take photos of collectable Japanese fashion dolls.

Her work is beautiful. It takes you away from the banality and routine of daily life by transforming the familiar into something mystical and playful. Surrealism and realism really combine in her photographs.

She has been featured in (deep breath...): British Vogue, The Independent Magazine, Dazed & Confused Magazine, 125 Magazine, Twin Magazine, Grazia Magazine, Look Magazine, Elle Girl Korea, Dazeddigital.com, YEN Magazine, O Collections (Oasis In-Store Magazine), Blackbook Magazine, Frankie Magazine Book, N.E.E.T. Magazine, BBC Bitesize, Bat for Lashes' official website and The Guardian Online.

Her fame is all thanks to the internet, a medium youths can completely submerge themselves in to create a podium from which to showcase their talents. No such medium existed before. It is the blogosphere, Flickr, Tumblr, Twitter. It propels people to unexpected heights and it is something that I cannot get my head around.

I could look at these images all day long. They embody the spirit of summer and warmth I search for year after year.

Click click

2010-04-05T20:15:00.007+01:00

I'm late with these of course, but I still cannot resist putting them up. Since learning (in the most basic sense) how to use Final Cut Pro this year, I have become obsessed with editing techniques in almost everything I watch. For this reason, I love these films.

Condé Nast’s LOVE, edited by superstylist Katie Grand, is the first magazine to create a high-octane fashion film as a commercial for a multi-media extravaganza. Featuring a range of favourite blog/internet/magazine models styled to the gills in Prada the whole thing looks delicious.

To complement Jung Kuho’s A/W 2010 collection Nick Knight stripped away all excess to create an almost 'religious, masterfully controlled, magnetic film, featuring Ranya Mordanova undergoing a postmodern metamorphosis' (The Business of Fashion).

Both films feature spellbinding soundtracks with, once again, seamless editing.

Got my Numéro

2010-03-31T09:25:00.011+01:00

Rasa Zukauskaite by Luciana Val and Franco Musso in Numéro

I love this image. It's so fantastically Hollywood with the added twist of leather trousers. The rest of the shoot can be seen here.

Max

2010-03-30T23:17:00.005+01:00

(all dresses from asos.com)

Asos are absolutely busting it out with the maxi dresses. Having bought a black maxi skirt from said retailers a few months ago, I've got some kind of full length fever. This coupled with the 'black' obsession may be something that needs to be checked. Anyway, these dresses are beautiful, elegant and affordable. Their Ossie Clark designed predecessors would be proud.

Bang

2010-03-30T21:38:00.001+01:00

While assisting on a shoot in Connemara, I was fortunate enough to stay in Ballynahinch Castle. At the front of the castle was this sweet little jetty. It would be the most perfect place to shoot in the summer.

There are so many great locations around the country, if only there was time and money to drag models, photographers, equipment and clothes to all of them.

Japan

2010-03-24T18:37:00.020Z

{A couture design from last seasons show}

The Japaneese said 'Konnichiwa' to the 10th annual Japan Fashion Week which kicked off this week. There will be over 40 runway shows this year, mainly featuring young Japanese fashion designers such as Somarata and Yoshio Kubo. The future of the fashion week, however, seems to be in jeopardy as the Japanese government are planning on reducing funding for it next year.

While there were no big name celebs in attendance and it has never been seen as a hugely influential show, the eclectic and daring designs which are trademarks of Japanese fashion will definitely appeal to the Harajuku girl in all of us......

Models take part in the Entoptic fashion show on Monday. {Japan Today}

{ Fashion Enthusiasts}

The 'Mint Designs' collection by Hokuto Katsui and Nao Yagi

Cuban designer Fabiola Arias's collection was featured at Japan Fashion Week

' Everlasting Sprout' collection by designer Keiichi Muramatsu

So there is defo more to Japan then just sushi {delicious as it is}, so you can attempt to look as bizarrely chic as a true Harajuku girl by trying out some of these babies.....

Awear- €100

Topshop- £20

Topshop- £28

Topshop- £28

Tights, Oasis- €5

Topshop- £40

New Look- €5

Awear- €50

Topshop- £28

Irregular Choice- €80

One please!

2010-03-20T11:46:00.011Z

Vision of Delight by Camilla Akrans, styled by Anne Christensen for April's Vogue China

Sustainable

2010-03-18T08:36:00.004Z

Peppermint is a relatively new Australian publication covering all things eco and ethical in fashion. Aimed at 'a growing number of females (and males) concerned with environmental and social justice issues, but who are also fashion and design-savvy'. It covers fashion, footwear, jewellery, etc. - as long as it's organic, fair trade, recycled, vintage, sustainable or locally-made. Now, I'm no eco warrior but I quite like the concept. The whole thing is printed on 100% post-consumer recycles paper by a waterless printing press. Having received awards for its design, it really is a delight to flick through.

Miu Miuccia

2010-03-11T18:56:00.007Z

(Photos: Coutorture)

Oh well! Ms. Prada has created something fantastic and refined and lovely. The shoes throughout the collection were rather similar to the Prada Winter 2011 line and then there's the embellishments, the bows, the colour blocking (oh how I do love to colour block) and the over all 60s tastiness. The lilac dress in the centre breaks my heart with sheer beauty.

This one of the most refreshing lines spanning all of fashion month. I'm tired of the regurgitation from Dolce & Gabbana's furry go-go boots to Pheobe Philo's leather wear at Céline. Everything has been a copy of a copy of a copy. We all know this is true of course in the fashion world, but this year I feel quite sulky about it. Alexander Wang, Marc Jacobs, Cushnie et Ochs, Proenza Schouler, Rag & Bone and Rodarte were the stand outs (all NY stock, perhaps because Anna Wintour actually encourages new talent). Not even my beloved Roksanda Illincic could make me swoon like I did with her S/S 2010 collection.

Recently I interviewed the owner of Indigo & Cloth, Garrett. He believes the days of the big fashion houses are numbered and judging by this past month's turn out I tend to agree with him. Yes repetition and copycatitis are rampant and always have been, but the flashes of design genius, for the most part, seemed absent from the runways of New York, Milan, London and Paris.

It's companies like Rodebejer and Acne that have a future. They're still inspired and they look forward, not back to the 80s yet again.

Lee

2010-03-11T09:01:00.001Z

Alexander McQueen's last collection was shown in Paris this week. The sixteen pieces were flawlessly designed with rich colours, embroidery and textures. Rumours that Gareth Pugh is to take the design lead at McQueen are bubbling about, but nothing is confirmed. Now wouldn't that be something.

Introduction

2010-03-09T18:49:00.000Z

Well hay there! This is obviously the first post for our new blog. Vultures are such graceful creatures we just couldn't resist having them as our mascots. Clothes and all things style related are our favourite. We would like to preface by highlighting the hideousness of one of Karl's looks from Chanel's Autumn/Winter 2011 line. Yeti boots and nappies, who'd have thought it?

(Image: Coutorture)

Our soon to be sister site *watch this space* is launching in May and will talk about all things interesting and news related. So do visit once it's up and running. But for now, talk to y'all soon.