THE GENERAL PUBLIC DOESN'T LOVE MARQUES ALMEIDA AS MUCH AS I DO

Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida's brand is one of the freshest, vibrant and most exciting to be born out of the independent fashion platform that is London. Alongside others; Simone Rocha, Ashley Williams and Ryan Lo. Marques Almeida in particular, holds an aesthetic which I empathize with. It's embodying youth; specifically that era at the turn of the century, that time in which I was too young to be that girl, but nevertheless frayed denim, shapeless leather and see through coloured chiffon was a thing, and a cool thing at that. Marques Almeida is my chance to live out that visual dream.

I waited impatiently to merely view the collection for Topshop. Newly independent and finding myself funding travel cards, super unleaded and my sushi (white wine) obession, I couldn't even dream of forking out north of £60 for a top. But I thought it was beautiful. My favourites were the lavender silk two piece, black leather blazer, long sleeved sheer silk tops, fluffy bags... pretty much, if I could've only worn Marques Almeida x Topshop until the new year I'd of been game. However this morning, to my surprise (and short lived ecstasy) Topshop e-mailed to tell me that the collection is now running with 30% off. I'm pretty sure if it was doing half as well as say..... Alexander Wang for H&M,  there'd be no need for such promotional sales. Quite clearly, the majority of girls who shop in Topshop aren't responding to the Marques Almeida vibe like I do. The only explanation for this near enough FAIL, is that these girls are too basic, too uneducated on high end designers, and sadly, Marques Almeida is too cool, too niche, for the high street. Take a look at the recent 'Wang effect' cast upon these simpletons. Because I'm baffled as to why any fan of Wang, or fashion for that matter, would buy into a collection which expresses little to no talent alike that embodied through his work for Balenciaga or his own label. I think the collection has commercialised and sensationalised his character as a brand, and where exclusivity, authenticity and integrity is concerned; this cannot be good.

Yet whilst Marques Almeida x Topshop has failed to enthral and engage consumers on a grand scale, their name remains untainted in my eyes. I'd rather be part of something lesser known or lesser loved, than something every other girl's slipped into. 

WHY BLOGGING IS ARSEY

This page is not a blog. Well it's technically a blog, but I am NOT a blogger. And more so, I am NOT  a fashion blogger. The phrase 'fashion blogger' or even worse the hashtag '#fbloggers' raises metaphorical bile in my throat. This kind of thing turns me into a sarcastic, skeptical, bitchy loser/ misanthropist, which is probably just as cliched as the idea of a self-made, money earning blogger in the first place. However I AM a fashion journalism student. How, and Why you may ask can I hate this revolutionary medium of fashion reportage in this internet driven era? Well, first I will express great appreciation for the pioneers of fashion blogging; Susie Lau and Bryan Yambao (yes, they have real surnames) two of my favourites, the former for her truly solidified writing skills, and the latter for his wit and irony and well, his tweets. Then there is fashion know-all Derek Blasberg of course, Mallory Llewellyn and Tallulah Willis' 'Brain Babies' at The Clothing Coven and furthermore Tavi Gevinson, who is obviously an example of intelligent, well-thought out and socially political blogging. I also love Bip Ling's blog, but in a rather more aesthetic sense. I'm sure there are plenty more 'bloggers' who write really well, however I don't often find these as I have to wade through tons of narcissism, self indulgence and outright stupidity before I find these gems. Yes, Narcissism exists predominantly in #fashionblogging. Having your mum take photographs of your  daily outfits and posting them to your blog, with a little paragraph about why you're wearing this particular pastel pink concoction doesn't require any research, particularly eloquent or sophisticated text, or much intelligence for that matter. Worse off, are those 'shopping haul' youtube videos, where you will proceed to reel off every item you bought on your last visit to Topshop. Unless you're Miroslova Duma, Olivia Palermo, Alexa Chung or someone to that nature, no body is likely to be very interested in your latest 'outfit du jour', except perhaps your nan. Do you even speak French anyhow? As for self indulgence; if you feel the need to document those particularly 'slaying' outfits (yes, I'm sure most of us do) there are Polaroid cameras and crafty instagram shots a plenty.

LIKE WHAT YOU LIKE BECAUSE YOU LIKE IT

I’ve been stewing over writing about people’s ideas about conformism, convention and the mainstream, but I couldn’t find a starting point. For years, my take on being cool was to like the things others didn’t. Or rather, dislike the things most people liked. Anything remotely popular in my eyes was to be avoided. Unfortunately, this mentality was employed by masses of teens and young adults and regurgitated by (shock horror) the media, record companies and high street  brands to produce a tie-dye-wearing, Morrissey- listening, Stephen Chbosky-reading, tumblr-tapping yout, perhaps a girl with half a head of roots, or a boy with a haircut resembling an iced gem. For most of us, in the ‘Y Generation’, it’s excruciatingly and crushingly hard to present ourselves as individuals, to be original, and unfortunately for plenty; to be authentic. We see the teens of the sixties pioneering rock and roll tailoring, feminist silhouettes and smashing up cinema chairs down Brighton. We see outrageous punk dressing in the seventies, and mass experimentation drug use in the eighties and nineties. But where’s our 21^st century revolution? Aside from the high-speed, sharp-incline, tyrannical surge that is the internet age, there is none. Yet those movements, colonized by our predecessors (anyone from gramps to mum) in actuality became mainstream. Because we view them as crazy, exotic, experimental we associate them with alternative. Perhaps in years to come, youngsters will think of excessive Instagram spamming and dressing like a knob head as an ironic take on originality.

FASHION DOWN UNDER - A GUIDE TO AUSTRALIAN FASHION

For one month, twice a year, the fash pack are in full force. The editors, photographers, paps, models and PRs are pushed to their max, travelling night and day from show to show from New York, to London, followed by Milan, and finally Paris. Where fashion is concerned, these are the leading cities. Paris home to legendaries such as Karl Lagerfeld, Milan with iconic italian houses Prada and Dolce & Gabbanna, New York with the CFDA and Anna Wintour, and London the birthplace of countless british supermodels like Kate or Cara. Once these cities have showcased their goods, the editors return to their offices, the photographers touch up their work, and models proceed with editorial/commercial work. But elsewhere in the world, things are still moving. There's Stockholm, Sao Paulo and Dubai fashion weeks to name a few. Whatever the time of year, it's always fashion week. 

In the past year or so, Australian brands, publications and the general oz lifestyle have taken my interest. I wasn't aware of MSFW (Melbourne Spring Fashion Week) before this spring, and am disapointed with how little coverage it receives in Britain. It seems isolated, further from us than the other side of the world. What is interesting, and perhaps why MSFW is left out of the fashion week roundups, is that collections are an entire year ahead, rather than just six months. So this MSFWshowcased next year's S/S, and this year's S/S would have been shown last S/S.

Obviously, I don't know much as I've never been to Australia, but I've compiled a few lists to serve as a basic guide to Australian fashion, before I write up the best of MSFW S/S 15.

New 'IT' item

Something which is platitudious to the modern 'fashion blogger' is the wearing of 'it' items, see www.shitbloggerswear.tumblr.com for floods of examples. The slogan tee of course pops up every season, and I predict that the latest attempt at cult status, this 'more issues than vogue' t-shirt will be worn by many.

PARIS MENSWEAR HIGHLIGHTS (A/W 2014)

1. Dior 
Next season, Kris Van Assche has created a sweet and humble boy, who is transformed to man with impeccably sharp cuts, luxuriously dark tones and ankle stroking fur coats. Suits are embroidered with beautiful patterns from Dior's archive. Lily of the valley's were placed on visitors seats at the show, and these delicate little beauties can be found sewn on to the Dior man's pinstripe suits. Dainty polka dots play a key role also, head to toe; entire polka dot suits and embroidered onto creeper-come-brogues.