“Springtime Fun-In-The-Sun… Vegas-Style!!”

 

I’m not a bit mad at it, friends…

… a smoked salmon, champagne brunch, at the “Caviar House and Prunier”, accompanied by cheery, if, somewhat sporadic, conversation with fellow diners, in transit, via Heathrow Terminal 3, to global destinations…. with the occasional gawp at the latest offerings of high-end chic, from Louis Vuitton…

…. Nope, I’m not averse to it at all!

In fact, if you were to take the very same letters from, arguably, the most famous acronym in fashion, you’d have a clue as to my own point of disembarkation…

… which, has become my landing location, of choice, on three occasions, since last November…

… Getting warmer?

We-l-l-ll…

…  it has a “Strip” and…. more hotelier options than you can shake a stick at… and secures the hottest performers in the music world…

Yes.. you’ve got it!

Lovely Las Vegas was calling me back to its eclecticisms and idiosyncratic party culture… and this time, I was going to get a lot warmer… Say, 80 degrees, warmer!

… But these days, when the Time-Space continuum is in conjunction… and offers up a week of poolside-living and distinctive style-stories… how can one deign to reject such potential for adventure?!

The answer is, one simply cannot!

… Oh and there might, just, have been the opportunity to celebrate life in, quite, the most glamorous front-row mosh pit in town… Otherwise known as “losing yourself” to the swingin’-est sounds, at the, one and only, “Matt Goss Experience”, within the sassy surrounds of “1OAK Nightclub”, enveloped by the “Grande Dâme” of venues, “The Mirage Hotel”!

Yes…

…  that might, indeed, have alleviated the extensive airtime… although, I was probably the most excited, yet, to be heading back into the arms of my best-loved recreational hot-spot, for an impromptu hug!

Until then…

 I do not succumb to the, deceptively, time-consuming temptation, of purchasing Duty Free…

Rather, I am as focussed as possible, in order to enjoy every other element of my experience (as always)… and, rather expeditiously, am settling into my home-for-the-day… A red-and-white liveried Virgin Atlantic plane (entitled “Lady Freedom”, no less!)… spanning reminiscent listening-sessions of Jeff Buckley’s intensely-moving masterpiece, “Grace”, through to my chosen touchdown tunes, served up by the irrepressible futuristic-disco of Daft Punk… interspersed by power-naps and nourishment, as only the “Branson Brigade” can, so expertly, and elegantly, provide.

I also checked-in with the flight tracker, but needn’t have bothered, since, as we drew ever closer to Nevada, the cabin temperature took a distinct upturn, like the curve of a smile upon the face of someone who has a delicious secret, nestling on the tip of their tongue…

… and, before we knew it, the Time-Space continuum had transported us, to a new Destiny-moment… to make new discoveries, in the awaiting, ensuing days of ensuites and lively beats…

… and what a treat it was!!

Firstly, having dressed for the inclement weather which I’d left behind (i.e. layered in Zara Knitwear, M & S tweed trousers and Julien McDonald biker jacket, etc. etc.), the air con-infused limo ride was an entire blessing!

Then, in keeping with the, seeming, multi-dimensional convergence, a speedy arrivals desk, saw myself and luggage, whisked away in an, equally, expedient elevator, into a newly laid-out, ever more spacious, dwelling, overlooking the expansive pool area, which was soon to be my next stop.. after a freshen-up… and another power-nap…

… which was never going to work when, engrossed by CNN’s Don Lemon and Chris – “#LetsGetAfterIt” – Cuomo, as I arose, in time for the pool to be closed and the restaurants to have been open, for their first and second sittings!

… Yet, the anticipation for my mini outdoor excursion, in search of the perfect placement, for the girl-about-town, writing situation, was not wasted on one, such as I… Assuredly not! … Neither was my beloved shrimp pasta, with the creamiest of sauces, well-accompanied by bubbles, of the soda-pop kind!

At which point, the secret smile was, altogether, mine!

… As was “The Dolphin Bar”, which, for me, was the ultimate setting, for cooling shade on the one side and sizzling sun-trap on the other… and with a waterfall, gently caressing the air, with trickling sound and guests, close by, in deep relaxation or laugh-out-loud revelry… I couldn’t have asked for better…

… except, for the über-cool tracksuits that The Mirage servers were sporting… which were not available, thus remaining exclusive and even more desirable! However, a little multi-coloured batwing top from French Connection, matching coral plissé skirt, with high-low hem and black flip-flops, were my delight… A 70’s throwback and precursor to some Halston Heritage couture, hanging in the closet, to be debuted at a later date… I thank you!!!

Ice-cool beverage and poolside stroll later, I was fuelled for more exploring…

… To Las Vegas Boulevard!!! To “The Fashion Show Mall”!!!

To “The Pinto Ranch“ … an absolute find, for those who adore the outdoor lifestyle and its complementary accoutrements… which, within two days, with the minimum of fuss, under the sagesse and adaptability of store supervisor, Greg, became an educational outlet and morphed into a “Country Music Awards” hang-out for shoppers and browsers, alike!

What I did not fork out for in Duty Free, I more than made up for in the acquisition of some wonderfully unique gifts, which made me look like I came straight out of Southfork… (I’m talkin’ cowboy hat, my darlins.. and then, some)!

How I loved the onslaught of action!!!

Learning more about traditional creative design processes, talking vinyl with “DJ After School Special” and his fabulously fashion-forward manager (and twin brother!), being drowned-out by cars, screaming sonic Morse code, via their horns, using skywalks to cross roads and enter other hotels, like the impeccable, “Venetian”… comparatively quieter, until reverberant opera singing shook the soundwaves of the brain to life… and all in micro-minutes!!!

I, mean, I absolutely, loved it!!!

… Oh, and, what was I not, dear friends?… I was not mad at it, at all… not even a bit perturbed, in the slightest!

I was in Vegas… I wanted more… and more is exactly what I got…

… namely, on Sunday night, for the, now weekly, major Matt Goss show!

Further inspired by my 70’s mood, I went all-out “Studio 54”, honey… All regal, royal blue, backless, halter-neck, jumpsuit joy, golden platform-shoe’d goodness and accordant cobalt, beaming Biba accessories… with a snazzy, ladder-link necklace… and, did I mention, a certain dalliance with “bareMinerals” glitter eyeshadow in “Twilight” and “Hot Commodity” highlighter, and luscious “Sleek” lip gloss… for day-y-y-ys?!!!

Oh, yes, friends, it was, categorically, on… and I was ecstatic with it all!

…. And. What. A. Show!!!

… No matter, how many times, you see it, hear it, experience it… the undeniable force, that is Mr Matt Goss, himself, somehow manages to upstage existence and smash the living daylights out of every moment, regardless of the vocal dynamic of any song, or any time signature!

This is his playground… his artistic vortex in which he, politely, yet, no less insistently, demands you let loose… and it takes no time at all for the whole room to, willingly, yield…

In fact, it gets sweaty, it gets rowdy, it takes a great, big, bite out of life and, quite frankly, is the only show which seems to be a Time-Space Continuum, all of its own…

… a fitting reward for going boldly, and a perfect vault for priceless memories…

… which, along with the turquoise-blue skies, that greeted me upon my return to lovely London, are exactly what I shall treasure…

… until the next clarion call upon dreamy desert winds, hails me back unto the sweet heartbeat of the Nevada Valley…

… and, do you know, what?

I’ll be truly glad, not a tad mad of that, friends…

… not at all!!

 

 

 

©A_F_R_O_W2019. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

“TOMMY X LEWIS is a-GO, GO, GO!”

It’s the dawn of a brand new day.

Different type of race day.

Same type of build-up.

… As my computer monitor buffers, I’m already getting the idea that Lewis Hamilton has been, subliminally, winding his way around the circuit of his life, all of his life, to this major, visionary moment….

… the destination, of which, is already a prize, now becoming a victory lap, of vêtements, if you will…

… which is apt, since, it is beneath the banner of his exceptional, other-worldly willpower and drive, that the boy-turned-man racer, Hamilton, launches his first collection, in collaboration with zeitgeist style-powerhouse, Tommy Hilfiger.

Paying homage to their “Icons of Tomorrow”, the “Tommy x Lewis” fashion line comprises a co-ed capsule range, which is raising the chequered flag of sartorial success, in no uncertain terms!

Yes, we know him as the prodigious driving genius, who, from his karting days, was set apart by an uncommon work ethic, but today demonstrates a new discipline in Lewis’s creative kitbag, which complements his well-developed, but lesser-known gifts in music and his holistic appreciation of the artistic.

As I speed-type, with cartoon-smoke coming through my fingertips, “Everybody’s looking forward to what comes up next” is piping through my speakers.. and, if the superfast stream of reactions is an indication, millions are, like me, joining the throng, to preview exactly what “next” is going to “be“.

Who cares if the feed keeps dropping in and out, like a fan, fainting, from being overwhelmed at meeting their long-time idol?!!!

What does it matter if this begets the necessity to minimize the resolution?!!!

The track blaring out at me that “it’s time to start the show…” could not be more right…

LET’S. DO. THIS. LEWIS!!!!

A sliver of floating runway, is set in a Shanghai harbour, adjacent to a bright-lights-big-city backdrop and flanked by a deep river of stillness as guests, comparatively, on the edge of their seats, are being treated to fierce, high-octane sport-luxe, with codes of crisp, colour-blocking and crop-topping…  Non-stop Iconic, stomping, in block-heels and stepping, in worker-boots, khaki parkas, pewter puffas, go-faster, F1 stripes, chromatic geometrics are team-mates with over-grown plaids, on models with plaits… overlaid by a palette of clean-lined, lightning white through midnight black and texturised by sweatshirts and sweater-vests, drenched in shimmering sequins…

No time for pitstops though, as proportions collude, from full-length coats, that effortlessly cloak, to a cutting-edge tux that, seemingly, carves the silhouette out of living space. They scream and holler “New-York-minute” elegance, for the fashion-conscious connoisseur-cum-global traveller!!

It’s full-on, new-pep, Preppy-for-the-People… irresistibly-twisted, Ivy-League-on-overload and, branded with the insignia of “H”, brings to mind that, for such a time as this, were Hilfiger and Hamilton destined to be one.

The finale walk, was the perfect reminder that this was no empty, celebrity-endorsed exercise but a bonafide collaboration… the result, of which, delivered on desirability for the masses and then some. It is achievable, believable design, filled with on-trend enthusiasm, yet fuelled by an energy of endurance, and, in a sloganized, tie-dyed top of his own, the root-message from Hamilton’s heart is clear.. “UNITY” is the new dress-code of the day.

… A garment that I should be proud to sport, any and every day…

 

 

©A_F_R_O_W2018-2019. All Rights Reserved.

 

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Click-through below, to peruse and purchase from the “Tommy X Lewis” capsule collection Now!

TOMMY X LEWIS (Tommy Hilfiger UK)

Social Media Links:-

@TommyHilfiger @LewisHamilton

#TommyxLewis #TommyNow #IconsOfTomorrow

 

 

 

“The Power and Glory of Balenciaga!”

“Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion” at the Victoria and Albert Museum, is a veritable rhapsody.

A rapturous round of applause to the unmitigated guile and talent of a supremely-gifted tailor and cutting-edge innovator.

Laid out over two amazing floors of crystal-clear creativity, a culmination of past, present and future clauses of the highest quality design are seamlessly-rendered, through quintessential craftsmanship and ground-breaking technology, as only the V&A can do!

From the tenderest beginnings of a Cristobal, who is born in País Vasco, Spain, raised against the backdrop of a consummately-skilled dressmaking Mother and instructed under the tutelage of only the very best in their respective fields of design, to the Master Couturier, in his own right, it is an utter delight to quick-unpick and unpack the realm of raiment which would see him thrust into the fashion foreground and remain there.

Breathless, at every turn, am I. Inspirational in every era of his existence, was he.

Moreover, this exhibition is a power ballad to sartorial intent…

…the curation process, of which, began in 2015 and reaches its maturation in an assemblage which extends beyond the ‘comprehensive’, but is deep-dyed in its sensitive depiction of a uniquely imaginative and inventive world.

From the lab-coat efficiency of pattern-cutting precision (which we might now call ‘minimalist’), to the command of experimental flights-of-fancy (which we might now call avant-garde), the genius of Balenciaga is honoured, with the finely-tuned accuracy of the Maestro, himself. It is effortless glamour-on-demand!

Rather fitting, then, that the ground-level should be sprinkled with the glitter of socialites and movie-star patrons, such as Anne Bullitt Biddle, Elizabeth Parke Firestone and Ava Gardner.

…Toile-to-attire, the entire archival lay-out is akin to the ultimate ensemble…

Yet, not to be outdone by such levels of haute grandeur, the inclusion of C21st advancement is employed, with distinct aplomb. Not only do dress-making demonstrations adorn expansive HD screens, but, on ascending a staircase as grand as the pinpoint pick-ups of a couture wedding gown, they continue to be displayed upon the vast columns of the V&A, itself. Further revelations of the boning construction which lies beneath the gowns, are discovered through inspired collaborations between The London College of Fashion and X-Ray photographer, Nick Veasey, respectively. Each technique serving to enlighten the creative process in all of its methodical glory, acting like a hand-through-time in enlisting modernity to mirror and reflect the labour of love which it took to create, then, and disseminate Balenciaga’s originality, now.

 Earnest testimonials from couturiers and contemporary designers throughout the timeline, signify pertinent reminders of the extraordinary profundity and reach of Balenciaga’s influence. As if his, own, dextrous fingers had extended through history into the gloves of their giftings, such stand-out creators as Molly Goddard, Simone Rocha, Josep Font and J.W. Anderson recall, not only, his pure innovative power, but the exact point of departure for its impact in their own lives, let alone practice… although, it soon becomes clear-cut, that the two are, most definitely, one-in-the-same…

… which brings a romantic reciprocity to the story… for the glorious Balenciaga blueprint is bold and beautiful…the perfect parure… an unmissable suite of style, woven into every echelon of fashion finery, from menswear to womenswear… and echoing through functionality, from sportswear to eveningwear, with architectural sensibility.

All-encompassing proof, if proof were necessary, to “[re-assert] the fact that he’s not just shoes and handbags, he’s so much more”*…

…and always will be.

 

©A_F_R_O_W2018-2019. All Rights Reserved.

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“Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion” is on now, until Sunday 18th February at the V & A.

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Quotation Credit: * Cassie Davies-Strodder (Curator)

 

 

“Un grand ‘chapeau’ to VV Rouleaux!”

I am Alice. Self-titled. Hear me roar!

I am striding towards my hypothetical wonderland.

I reach a literal treasure trove of Arts and Crafts.

I meet a modern-day Titian, a holidaying American, a collective of creative guides.

I am led through the open pages of this story-book establishment…encompassed by feathers that flutter and fashion, oh my!!

Vintage, contemporary, tassels and pom-poms, twinkling, sparkling… I am enveloped within the beating heart of a life-sized trinket box!

I am in maker’s heaven!

Yet…for all of the fantastical frou-frou, quaint this working atelier-cum-accessories hotspot could never be, as I am at the legendary VV Rouleaux, being escorted to my home, for the foreseeable… which is sure to be the ultimate venue, for a morning of marvellous millinery!

Perched at the end of a distinguished wooden table, with my creating companions, I pause to imbibe the sounds… Momentarily, my mind is elastic enough to breach the force-fields of time and witness the whispers of a tree which was to become the support for so many anticipatory participants before me… Looking up to the blue sky, it would be destined to carry the weight of future blue-sky schemes, being sedulously sculpted in ‘sinamay’.

Yes, “sinamay”, announced the voice of Faye, our esteemed mentor, was to be the material of choice… A banana fibre, not keen comrades with, either, humidity or precipitation, and my introduction to the ‘freeform’ method of hat-design, from ‘curling ends’, through stitching on the hat-base, to the execution of especial embellishment!

More memory-scapes emerged… rifling through my love of design, like back-copies of make-do-and-mend magazines. My first sampler, my first print, my first embroidered tote… Vivid 3-D images in multi-dimensional pop-ups held me in history, whilst the scent of Earl Grey tea had me winging my way back to the present.

Something about the beauty of the unknown inspired me to entrust Faye with the size of sinamay which I would be working. Although, in theory, the smaller the piece, the better, I was ready to face the challenge of a larger cut… and so it began… the blush-pink medium, cut on-the-bias to facilitate the curling process, with which to fashion my one-off fascinator…

Water was to be utilised. Water was to be respected.

Too much would become the arch nemesis of the technique, rendering it too soft to turn. Too little, and the fabric would not yield… in effect, becoming more free-from, rather than free-form! I was to learn this, friends, as the supple, became the squidgy, in quick succession! Faye had made the method a constant motion of contemporary dance. Under her haute handiwork, tight curling transformed into abstract curvature… I was, initially, all fingers and thumbs, until the recognition of my favoured direction to loosen the edges, before performing the process of rolling, became apparent! Ever the eternal voice of positive reinforcement, Faye advised that 1cm was the optimum size in order to avoid fraying or breakage… She also reassured us that there was no rush, which made utter sense to me, as my joy was in following the fibre… letting it show me the way, rather than coerce a structure.

I cannot recall it… but, at some point, my Titian-haired and American associates had turned their talents to the business of sewing the initial element of their works-in-progress onto their selected bases…always using new thread, as previous lengths left on needles might be damaged..

Hats were blossoming like a mixed meadow of midsummer flowers… and it was such a pleasure to behold the exhileration with which they began to observe the best positioning for the final placement of adornments.

My vision and, thankfully not my edges, unfurling, I felt a contrasting black base necessary, so as to blend with my darker hair colour and highlight the blushing pink hue of my creation. Owing to my enthusiasm for embroidery, I knew that I would tackle the next task with greater confidence, which had grown with my achievement of overcoming a brand new modus operandi of making! Sinamay resembling a lotus shape, Faye demonstrated how to navigate the undulations of fabric, setting me free to fix the components together with nigh-on invisible stitches… Very satisfying!

My adrenalin on the upswing, I moved on to the moment which had been filled with such promise… That of sifting through such an array of ornamentation, in which I could have happily burrowed down and nested! I blinked-back shiny, smooth, sparkling… pastels, purples… neutrals, nickels… gold, gold and more gold… All, of which, would suit any personality trait… All, of which, to me, spelt glamour, glamour, glamour!!!!!

“Nothing is too much!” was jettisoned into the air…

…and it took extreme discipline, on my part, not to apply that approach to what was taking shape! However, jet black leaves with subtle sequins shouted louder and I dared not resist… I did strike-a-pose or twenty-two, yet, rather than rush the finale, I took all of the necessary accoutrements with me, to add the finishing touches in my own time…

…which was the first time I was aware of it slipping away…

…and as I bid my farewell, VV Rouleaux bag in hand, I realised that the best take-away had been the luxury of spending a Saturday morning, not simply sharing a love of learning, but learning to love the simple joy of sharing, so much more!

***

©A_F_R_O_W2018-2019. All Rights Reserved.

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Click through for more information about all of the fantastic VV Rouleaux workshops/ events!

VV Rouleaux, 102 Marylebone Lane, Marylebone, London, W1U 2QD

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Deepest A_F_R_O_W-thanks to Faye and the Marylebone Team for such a superb session and to fabulous Lucy, for the lovely invitation!