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Prim Gets Pretty For Norwich Fashion Week

It’s pretty ace to think that since 2010 Norwich Fashion Week has been blasting out a heap of fun every year, growing bigger and better each time, and, that my shop Prim Vintage Fashion has been involved since the very beginning as part of the gob-smackingly gorgeous Vintage Show. Pink. That’s my favourite colour and it’s the signature hue of Prim so it was nothing less than excellent that the set for this years show was pink and sparkly. Boom. I showcased 8 vintage dresses from my store and, oh, a few of them were pink. I was in the pink. Big time. The models were lush, the 70’s music was perfection and the entire event stood out as the most fun and frolicsome of the entire week; well, to me anyways. The Vintage Show always has a very cool tone, a playful vibe, and it was so blummin’ well put together by the NFW team and in particular the marvellous Karen; thanks Doll, you did real good. I was happy as always to be part of this wonderful week; proper fun.
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Beautiful photographs by Andi Sapey

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DAVID FERREIRA, MY FASHION CRUSH

 

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Be still my beating heart.

Yeah, I know, London Fashion Week was a coupla weeks ago now, but, I’m kinda still in the honeymoon phase of it all. Because not only did I have an exceptionally ace time over the 4 busy days, I also kinda fell in love. Yup, I fell slap bang, head over heels, heart thumpingly in love with the fashion of David Ferreira. I am totally love sick. I reviewed this dazzling show in detail for PlusMinus magazine but, seeing as (like a love-struck schoolgirl and her heart-throb crush) I can’t stop thinking about it, I wanted to share my love over here too. And, it gives me the sweet excuse of filling my blog with images of all the looks from the collection. Preeeetty! Now, I loved everything about London Fashion Week, truly, even the cold and hangry moments, because the fun and fast pace of it all keeps you thrilled, but, something about the David Ferreira show made it stand out as THE best part of the entire week for me. I didn’t know what to expect from Ferreira, I was a complete virgin to his work so had no clue what was about to hit me. We got reeeally great close-up seats for this show and as soon as the first model came out, boom, my heart picked up the pace and I was giddy with awe! I was fizzy with glee for the whole show, each model showcasing another outfit which made my knees go weak, I mean, wowzers, would ya look at the colours here, not only are they a mix of my faaavourite brights, but heck, they just come up and smack you in the face with their bold lushness. Like a party popper in the face. Ferreira’s designs blur perfectly the line between art and fashion, the theatricality of it all is sublime and, I dunno, I’m still new to fashion shows but I think really, when I see a runway show I wanna be overwhelmed by the sight of it all. I can look at pretty dresses, sure that’s nice, but I kinda wanna be blown away, and Ferreira achieved that fully. This AW17 collection was titled ‘The Freakball’ taking inspo from old freak shows and circus acts, celebrating uniqueness and confidence in being your own true self. These designs aren’t all totally wearable to the average gal, I get that, but loooook at the structure and shape, and the COLOURS!!! Goodness, I cannot stop looking! The dresses I would TOTALLY wear are the two long bias cut 30’s style ones, they are pure bliss. And, if I had an event, well heck yes I’d throw on the pink tulle number. And, ya know what? I reckon I’d feel a billion damn bucks in it too. Oh man, Ferreira is now my full on fashion crush and I cannot wait to see what he brings next season.

I, am super smitten.

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Photos by Simon Armstrong, by kind courtesy of Forward PR

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Confectionery Cuteness from Billie Jocobina at London Fashion Week

I got lucky. It made me a happy girl. I got given a DREAM job of attending London Fashion Week to write up the shows for ace new magazine PlusMinus. Woweee. I guess good things do happen, if you put in the hard work and positive vibes. I hit the big smoke for 5 days, expectant, nervy and excited with notepad and laptop in hand, and, maaan, it was even better than I could have hoped for. It was pure ace. The gang I worked with became brand new besties over the week, spending 24/7 together in cold queues, rushed coffee shop eatings, all of us marvelling constantly at what surrounded us… some of the ego’s at Fashion Week….say whuuuut?! Crikey. We musta seen around 22 shows in our time there, each one a thrill in its own right. The music, the models, the damn prettiness and skill of the fashion. Yup, a happy gal was I.

One of the first shows I saw and fell in love with was a presentation by new graduate designer Billie Jacobina. The presentations are a slightly smaller scale affair with a neat and petite collection which packs a punch and basically, the models pose and parade around a room for a while rather than take part in a big boom-boom runway show. They are kinda cute things these presentations, they feel intimate and you can get real up close to the clothes and models. Heart shaped eyes on me, I tell ya. My heart was pumping outta my chest a bit when the Jocobina one began as it was ALL PIIIINK and pastels, pom-poms, faux fur, jumbo doll jewellery; a sparkly explosion of saccharine kitsch, with, hello?… a Hello Kitty handbag in the mix too! Oh my.

As a graduate of UCA Rochester, Billie showed at Graduate Fashion Week 2016, and went on to be awarded The British Council GFW award which gave her the opportunity to collaborate with a brand in Jakarta and show at Jakarta Fashion Week. She sure is on a winning streak, as she also won the Fashion Scout’s One To Watch Award for SS17 which is a certain sign that she’s only just at the start of a shiny future. Her slogan for this collection was 100% SASSY, and that it was, superbly so. This collection tickled me pink and set off my LFW experience with perfection.

 

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Get The Vintage Fashion Look

Since the 1990’s women have been rockin’ various vintage and retro fashion looks, aaaw yeah they have! Vintage fashions are about waaay more than just what you’re wearing; they say a lot about the music, lifestyle, and your attitude to life. But with so many vintage looks out there, how can you get the right one that looks best on you? Well, read on to find out….

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1940’s and 1950’s

The forties look has been a pretty popular look for the last ten years or so. It all started to come into fashion around the time that the shabby chic movement began. Maybe it’s something to do with the fact that culturally people always try to look back to a better time when things get austere? Anyway, the 40’s and 50’s silhouettes like the ones shown here have been gaining popularity ever since. In fact, they are so popular now that they are even a mainstay in the wedding dress market. A sure fire sign that they are here to stay, hoooray!

The 40’s look is more about the slim dress that accentuates your curves. Look for covered buttons and pussy bows for the right details. Try stores like Vivien of Holloway or Lindy Bop for these styles. The 50’s look embraces the full skirt more. This is a great look for any shape, as its creates the illusion of a small waist. This is because skirts and dresses in this style are often fitted on the top, with a definite waist and then flared out. You can wear the dresses on their own or with a petticoat which will give you that oomph for a real rock ‘n roll flared look.

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1960’s

1960’s styles come in and out of fashion pretty regularly. The short shift dresses are effortlessly stylish and show off a great pair of legs. Last season we saw a lot of paisley print in new fashions as well as a nod to the 60’s. Remember that your vintage look, doesn’t have to be made up of purely vintage items. Mix and match new and old for a more modern and up to date take on your chosen era; modern ankle boots and a biker jacket add a great twist to a vintage look creating a bang-up-to-date fressh look just for YOU! Colours that work well for a 60’s look are schemes in greens, blues and orangey browns for that authentic feel. Pair short dresses with flat shoes for throwing some shapes and a high beehive in your hair if you want a really authentic look!

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1990’s

The 90’s look is probably the look of choice at the moment. Trawl your local vintage shops and ask your relatives if they have anything that the used to wear back in the day in their wardrobes that you can purloin. You can also get plenty of items from vintage stores and 90’s styles new pieces. Neutral minimalism and Grunge were massive iconic looks of the era. Shops like Charlotte Russe are a good bet for some reasonably priced items with a definite 90’s feel. You can get Charlotte Russe promo code online too to save you some money on your shop, which is always ace! Car boot sales and auction sites are a good bet for accessories like mini backpacks and the occasional golden find of an authentic band t-shirt. Speaking of band, t-shirts, even Primark have jumped on the trend and offer cheap Nirvana or Stones t-shirts, which can be cut to make something like this, making it extra cool! 

Pick an era, any era, mix ’em up together and with modern finds, dressing with vintage is the MOST fun ever and is by far the best way to make a look which only you will be wearing!

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Hanging out with Juergen Teller

Teller I’m pretty confident in saying that Juergen Teller is my most favourite photographer of all time. One of the most important and exciting photographers in fashion and portraiture; Juergen’s work was the mood board to my growing up. Iconic and provocative, his works tell a story; an intimate, slightly tongue in cheek, real and honest story. The works are always a clear collaboration between him and the subject, a moment paused in time, Teller’s presence always felt. I was a pretty happy girl to get myself a ticket to spend an evening with Teller at the ICA in London. ‘Juergen Teller-Woo’, a retrospective exhibition of his work was on, and on this particular evening he was holding a small ‘audience with’ …woo indeed!

I was enthralled to see him speak, he was supping white wine and swearing with every sentence, I adore him and his passionate approach. Humble and seemingly insecure, it was great to hear him talk of his career and his life. Growing up in Germany, his Father killed himself when he was young and that, he feels, led him to make the most of life and take the best elements of his Dad; “Just fucking run….do the best you can, you only live once….just ask questions and do it.” His work has always stood out for being outrageous and attention grabbing, but when you look at it again you see a warm sensitivity and realism. I love the lighting in his work, stark sunlight or flat studio light; raw and truthful. I also adore the fact that he has photographed Kate Moss many, many times over the years and his shots of her are without a doubt my most favourite Moss images ever, you see her character and humanity.

The exhibition was small but beautiful, with so much of his work to choose from I think it was edited and curated perfectly. The huge, larger than life prints of a nude, fully exposed Vivienne Westwood makes the subject both confrontational and vulnerable at the same time. Sat next to a sugary sweet portrait of a kitten, you know Teller has his sense of humour firmly in place. Having worked for so many big brands such as Marc Jacobs, Celine, Westwood and Helmut Lang, his work is iconic of its time and I just cant get enough of it.

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TellerTellerAs a small part of the exhibition, Teller filled a little box room with tear sheets of his work from magazines, lots from the 90’s that I remember….this little room was just like walking into my younger self’s bedroom….Courtney Love, Kurt Cobain, PJ Harvey, Kate Moss, Annie Morton, Bjork and Winona Ryder pinned up on the walls….all images I have known and coveted. A brilliant addition to the exhibition. Juergen; you are ace. Teller room 1Teller room 2Teller room 3 Teller room 4

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