Blog Feed: Anastasia & Duck

Cut the crap

Published on 2012-05-25 14:14:00

A few things have happened recently that have made me re-evaluate what I think about blogs and blogging. Some of them personal, some of them observed from afar, some of it prompted by Fashion Editor At Large's post on “blogger style” (excuse me while I choke on my own vomit) and more importantly Jen's excellent post with the ensuing comment debate. I am a blogger and I read blogs so I guess that makes me biased, but here we go... As far as I can see, digital is the future, but that doesn' [..] > read more

Black & White

Published on 2012-05-25 02:40:00

Sometimes summer is bright and garish, full of luscious greens and vibrant sky blues, clashing colours and melting ice lollies. > read more

Summer snip

Published on 2012-05-24 03:28:00

Don't worry (or get excited?), I haven't opted for a summertime circumcision - I've always thought genital cosmetic surgery is more of a winter pastime - just had my locks shorn to keep it cool in the warm months week ahead. > read more

Fashion Fringe 2012

Published on 2012-05-23 04:43:00

A couple of weeks ago I received an intriguing invitation to meet the finalists of this year's Fashion Fringe competition at a reception in Horseferry House, worldwide home of Burberry. > read more

Solar flare

Published on 2012-05-22 07:51:00

"The sun has got his hat on, hip-hip-hip-hooray! The sun has got his hat on and he's coming out today..." > read more

Weekend in review: 'Name That Toucan'

Published on 2012-05-21 02:42:00

We all know I'm an accessories fiend, hoovering up the ridiculous and the inappropriate in my ongoing quest to make myself look like the most fabulous bag lady in town. > read more

What should have been

Published on 2012-05-18 03:05:00

This is the outfit I was going to wear last night to see the Luke Waller painting exhibition at Cutler and Gross but, alas, I had to be realistic and stay inside to finish up some code debugging that had run away from me. > read more

British Designers Collective: Menswear

Published on 2012-05-17 06:12:00

It's not often Twitter spurs me to do anything other than shop or eat; rather it's much more likely to be distracting me from doing whatever it is I'm really meant to be doing. > read more

Sunshine, lollipops...

Published on 2012-05-16 04:50:00

It's a good day to be alive! I woke up this morning to glorious sunshine streaming into my bedroom (really need to start closing those blinds properly, if only to save the neighbours' modesty), clearing back those rain clouds that have been blanketing our sceptred isle. I am fond of the winter but the monotonous downpours and dreich skies can get you down. Work is certainly ploughing ahead on the gold building next door, reflecting rather than blocking the sunlight into our courtyard. I can b [..] > read more

Styled by Snufkin

Published on 2012-05-15 05:35:00

What with all the excitement of coding going well (yesterday I managed to get the analytic forces working and today the torques will be a success – I realise this probably means nothing to you...) I completely forgot about blogging this week. Sometimes I can only have one side of my brain firing at once, but then it gets worn out and I have to switch to something creative for a break. This morning I suddenly had that urge to get my camera out and then realised le flatmate is back in the home [..] > read more

Win Win

Published on 2012-05-12 05:54:00

Coming home for the weekend is all about admiring Dad's orchids, taking Grandma to the supermarket, arguing about the difference between porpoises and dolphins in the back of a taxi, and the luxury of sleeping in a bed with ironed sheets. Yesterday morning, on the train up, I finally made a major breakthrough with my research which should mean I get to move onto something more interesting and productive...like actually writing my papers/thesis. We celebrated with a trip to Zaha Hadid's Riversi [..] > read more

Burnt out

Published on 2012-05-10 09:04:00

Last night I dragged myself away from the laptop and off to Aqua London for the UK launch of Scandinavian estore, Nelly, as my one evening away from work this week. > read more

Scandinavian give-away

Published on 2012-05-08 06:20:00

In honour of all things Scandinavian, I have teamed up with Rekorderlig cider (Sweden), Rascals' (Denmark) and Won Hundred (Sweden) to bring you an exciting give-away! > read more

Antwerp II

Published on 2012-05-07 04:26:00

I'm at a really stressful point in my DPhil right now where I just have to get something working and it's taking much more time than I had hoped. > read more

Instagram diary

Published on 2012-05-06 07:20:00

Last night the Amazonian Emily of Fashion Foie Gras celebrated her and her brother's birthdays with a chic party in the basement of Milk & Honey, where I was stunned to meet a woman around my own age who didn't know what a blog was. > read more

MVIO: Han Sang Hyuk

Published on 2012-05-05 04:00:00

I love the blogosphere. > read more

Do you like my brogue?

Published on 2012-05-03 03:30:00

[I want to predicate this post by stating that I am not being paid or gifted anything by Dr Martens, the gushing you are about to read is 100% genuine.]I bought a pair of black Dr Martens brogues on the internet last year. > read more

Raf squared

Published on 2012-05-01 03:30:00

I've posted about quite a few events recently so it's probably time to get back to the fashion matter at hand. > read more

Birthday boy

Published on 2012-04-30 10:18:00

I would apologise for the number of photos in this post but, you know, it's my birthday party and I'll do what I want. I feel that every good birthday, like every good meal, comes in at least five parts so I'm breaking the blog post down this way. Perhaps this will help the overindulgence go down in the most delightful way...We kicked things off with cocktails at the Sanderson's Long Bar. Famous for being a den of iniquity (i.e. where high calibre ladies-of-the-night like to congregate in sea [..] > read more

Thamanyah

Published on 2012-04-30 05:49:00

Usually the Just in stock! type emails I wake up to every morning from the likes of Net-A-Porter, Luisa Via Roma, etc drive me round the twist. Everyone basically stocks the same designers and they try to palm off current season pieces as fresh and exciting in their editorial shots and cobbled-together moodboards when really all I can think about is next season... > read more

So fresh and so clean clean

Published on 2012-04-27 13:43:00

The title of this post probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense considering this first set of images but hopefully it will by the end. > read more

Modern

Published on 2012-04-26 03:00:00

My birthday party plans for Saturday are finally taking shape - I've decided on a theme of modernism/modernity/futurism. > read more

We Are Family

Published on 2012-04-25 03:54:00

This weekend saw the entire Duck clan descend on London for a memorial dinner for my Great Aunt who passed away a year ago. > read more

Changes

Published on 2012-04-24 16:23:00

You may have noticed that a few changes have occurred over night. > read more

My new favourite comment

Published on 2012-04-23 18:06:00

"Yes we all know you have a rich mother. But just keep in mind that the majority of your followers on twitter do not have rich parents and find it incredibly condescending when you talk 'mother' to all of us. You might be able to drop label after label name constantly with that you are wearing, or more like who you are wearing, just remember you're followers who have less money than you find this rude. Yes your mother this and your mother that. I can come up with a nice sentence for you w [..] > read more

Kiltin'

Published on 2012-04-23 05:02:00

When travelling with a pack of bloggers, even at 6am, it is always important that you look impossibly chic and carry as many Apple products as customs will allow. You must develop your own secret language ('J'ADORE', 'breb', '#yohji'), shriek spontaneously at any time of the day or night, and reference SH*T FASHION GIRLS SAY ad infinitum. The importance of a morning beer cannot be overemphasised. > read more

Eatin'

Published on 2012-04-22 04:29:00

I was seriously impressed by the standard of the food and drink in Antwerp so I felt this food-porn post a necessity. Unlike my recent trip to Madrid where we really had to hunt to find something delicious to eat, every single restaurant we walked into in Antwerp had something good on offer (even a café near the train station turned out to have the best goats cheese salad rather than the Wetherspoons fare we were expecting). I think I must just be a Northern soul. Apart from Italy, I always [..] > read more

Skirtin'

Published on 2012-04-21 02:56:00

I was led to believe that Antwerp was the chicest city in Europe – somewhat like Stockholm, but with the commercial tang of Acne replaced by severe Margiela austerity. I expected directional hair cuts, open minds and understated peplums. Strangely, Antwerp didn't quite live up to my expectations. There are some incredible shops (RA, Dries, Renaissance, Labels Inc.) and some of the best fashion labels stem from here (Ann, Dries, Raf), yet most people look decidedly ordinary. I guess I shoul [..] > read more

Plantin' in Antwerpen

Published on 2012-04-20 04:02:00

Well, I just got back from my birthday trip to Antwerp and what an experience it was... I must thank the Hotel Sir Plantin for hosting us and Eurostar for making the journey that little bit more affordable, although my positive feelings were tempered somewhat by the ridiculous customs fiasco at the St Pancras end. I'd never been to the stock sales before but Charlie and Lexxi guided me through them like pros. We hit up Ann Demeulemeester, AF Vandervorst, Dries van Noten, RA and then, of course [..] > read more

Fairy Queen with Maria Nilsdotter

Published on 2012-04-18 03:30:00

I'm starting to become slightly obsessed with Swedish jewellery designer, Maria Nilsdotter. > read more

Wolf & Badger hits Dover Street

Published on 2012-04-16 04:06:00

It's true! Early tomorrow morning I'll be on the Eurostar to Antwerp for a whistlestop shopping trip round the stock sales that happen at this time every year. > read more

Dressed for Delaunay

Published on 2012-04-14 12:09:00

Every month or so Brooke and I pick a different restaurant to go for a weekend brunch. > read more

Misplaced apostrophe

Published on 2012-04-13 11:22:00

This week I've basically been living in this sweatshirt I was given by new(ish) Danish street wear brand Rascals'. > read more

Better than Fashion Week

Published on 2012-04-10 04:36:00

OK, so Madrid during Easter week is waaay better than fashion week. > read more

Madrid

Published on 2012-04-09 09:06:00

Madrid may not have the best cuisine or shopping in Europe (it's also full of people speaking Spanish, the one language I've never felt any great urge to study - did you know they even lisp Mathrith?), but it is vibrant and packed full of cultural treasures and artworks. > read more

Going Global

Published on 2012-04-05 05:11:00

Well, Easter is almost upon us so I'll be taking a little blogging break with a trip to Spain to visit my parents (we always like to meet up in a different country every time). I haven't been to Madrid for years so it should be pretty nice to investigate the Prado with a more mature mind and explore whichever shops the hipster Madrileños are favouring this time around. > read more

Earth God(dess)

Published on 2012-04-03 03:00:00

Last night I had dinner with the gays. > read more

Visual Diary

Published on 2012-04-01 09:02:00

Things happen throughout the week that sometimes wouldn't make it onto the blog because I don't think I have enough to say about them or good enough photos to justify an entire post. > read more

Swedish Hasbeens at Selfridges

Published on 2012-03-28 11:45:00

This week I was invited to breakfast for the launch of the Swedish Hasbeens pop-up shop inside Selfridges on Oxford Street. > read more

A weekend of little things

Published on 2012-03-26 03:43:00

It's funny how illness can strike you down so quickly. > read more

Bicester Village - British Designers Collective

Published on 2012-03-22 06:34:00

When I lived in Oxford (for seven years...) one of the few rays of fashionable light in my completely unfabulous life was designer discount heaven, Bicester Village. Nary a term would go by without a spontaneous pit-stop being made to load up on Marni, McQueen and Westwood – my designers of choice at the time. With an average of 60% off everything it's almost as good as a London studio sample sale, but with brands that would never normally drop their prices so low in the big smoke. The cut [..] > read more

Mr Porter Party

Published on 2012-03-20 11:28:00

Last night Mr Porter held a very manly soirée for their favourite journalists and bloggers at the fabulous Mark's Bar at HIX in Soho to launch their Spring collections, and somehow my name has made it onto that list. Everything about the night was über masculine from the whiskey cocktails responsible for today's splitting headache (or was that the unofficial after party at G-A-Y?) to the impressive display of beards (the London gent's look du jour). I nibbled delicious wild mushroom canapés, [..] > read more

Brunch at Browns with L'Wren Scott

Published on 2012-03-17 08:20:00

It's not often you get an invitation that you just can't turn down, but anything reaching my inbox from the hallowed world of Browns is always going to prompt a hasty diary clearing. > read more

Swedish Beer Bowling

Published on 2012-03-14 09:34:00

Last night the lovely Varg ladies took a few of us out for a night of bowling and beers to celebrate the up-coming Swedish Hasbeens pop-up shop in Selfridges (27th March - be there or be square). > read more

James Long A/W 2012

Published on 2012-03-12 07:11:00

I'm ashamed (am I?) to say that James Long was practically the only thing I liked about menswear day in London. I feel apprehensive writing this, I want to support British designers yadda yadda yadda [NB desperate attempt to avoid internet backlash], but I think going to Paris for fashion week the past few seasons has kind of spoiled me for London. While there are many world-class womenswear designers here (Christopher Kane, Peter Pilotto, Jonathan Saunders, Louise Gray, Mary Katrantzou, Erdem [..] > read more

John Rocha A/W 2012

Published on 2012-03-09 10:55:00

I was lucky to make it to John Rocha's show. Maybe it's because I moved house between last season and this - actually I moved right in the middle of fashion week, though that's another drama - but somehow my show ticket never winged its way into my letterbox. I guess the tight security protecting our mailboxes from the violent riffraff of West London might have been the problem. In any case I had assumed I didn't have a ticket so was caught off guard when the PRs DM'ed to say my invitation wa [..] > read more

Casual Friday

Published on 2012-03-07 13:30:00

Fashion week isn't all about prancing around in couture t-shirts and impractical chiffon palazzo pants (one of my more outré outfits), hiding your semi-professional camera inside the latest round of canvas gift bags so as not to be mistaken for a streetstyle blogger or - Heaven forbid - an actual professional. Some days it just all gets too much and you throw on the comfiest clothing you find lying on the floor next to your bed before you drag yourself down to Somerset House. This is exactly [..] > read more

Autumnal obsession - Damir Doma

Published on 2012-03-06 06:30:00

You may have seen me wearing a few Damir Doma pieces on this here blog - just a few mind, because they tend to be pretty pricey - but it looks like my Doma coverage is about to sky-rocket if I can find some way to afford his AW collection. While he's always gone for a draped, nomadic look, next season Damir has taken it to another level. The styles I love fall into two categories; the draped, beaded and caped outfits (above) make me want to go on a road trip through a desert at night, cosseted [..] > read more

MAN

Published on 2012-03-05 03:30:00

If the Fashion East MAN show were a competition then the clear winners would be Agi & Sam whose fusion of trad menswear suiting with modern printing techniques lit up the Royal Opera House catwalk. Maybe not everyone can pull off a Seurat painted three-piece suit but hopefully the more daring gent can work a vibrant tartan jacket into his wardrobe. Anyway, how could I not love Agi & Sam when they showed an entire DUCK PRINTED outfit?! The only downside: I'm so bored of designers using "interes [..] > read more

New hair!

Published on 2012-03-02 03:25:00

Getting your hair cut is almost always a traumatic experience – your regular stylist is never available, the new person doesn't listen to you, the sea of inane questions (“Going anywhere nice on your holidays this year?”), the unfathomable inability of all hairdressers to style your hair the way you like it – and this time could have been even more so since I was going from super long to pretty much boy-short. But thanks to the fabulous Zara at Taylor Taylor (and my photographer for the [..] > read more

Dressed

Published on 2012-02-29 04:00:00

It's been a while since I blogged an outfit post but I thought the time had come now that I've almost got all my LFW runway shots up (and some surprisingly controversial reviews...). I've always thought of my personal style as relatively androgynous, a term which, according to some on Twitter, is a negative when it comes to menswear. I, however, don't see that many distinctions between men's and women's clothing. Naturally a peplum isn't going to look that good on me considering my depressing [..] > read more

Basso & Brooke A/W 2012

Published on 2012-02-28 03:30:00

Shortly after the show Alex Fury described Basso & Brooke's latest collection as mank (he was seated opposite me during the show, you may spy his face in some of the photos where he just refused to be edited out). Now, I wouldn't go quite that far. It wasn't exactly their best collection and it seems like they've been on a slight downward slope since my favourite early runs (the slick Japanese collection in particular!), but it still stood out in the better half of the shows I saw in London. [..] > read more

Comme des Garçons Competition

Published on 2012-02-27 02:00:00

So I have a little surprise for you, dear readers. You may have noticed I've never run a competition on here before but today is your lucky day (maybe). I've been waiting until something good came along – something I'd actually want to win – and it doesn't get much better than a piece of Comme des Garçons, right? No, I'm not giving away a pleated black kilt or a transparent hoop skirt (I wish!), but if you click on the link in the sidebar and play a little game, you could find yourself th [..] > read more

Nobody panic! Raf Simons A/W 2012

Published on 2012-02-25 12:19:00

Oh what a long day it's been. Just back from a slightly tipsy brunch with Hugh, among others, at the delicious Brunswick House Café (Go! If only for the handsome manager wearing Comme and Dries to your table) after an aborted breakfast with Anna in town. On my wanderings I finally got a hold of the L'Officiel Collections for this season so I can start planning my moodboard and post-April shopping trips for the summer. It's a bit dog-eared and 'twas the only one in the ickle kiosk opposite Li [..] > read more

Michael van der Ham A/W 2012

Published on 2012-02-24 05:30:00

Occasionally I find myself getting carried away during fashion week and overestimating my own understanding of designers' motivations or what's going behind the scenes. I start reading too much into a collection or set myself up for a fall by expecting so much from the designer. This is exactly what happened when the first couple of looks came out at Michael van der Ham. I loved his early magpie patchwork creations and was really pleased by his last collection which translated the slightly le [..] > read more

Ponystep x True Religion

Published on 2012-02-23 08:58:00

Just came across this photo of Alexxsia and me at the Ponystep x True Religion party on Prince Pelayo's Kate Loves Me blog. Of course while everyone else (Charlie, Louisa, Jen) was sitting down to be served tray after tray of The Diner burgers and vegetarian chilli, Lexxi and I were knocking back the vino and getting down to some Spice Girls. At this point in the night it appears I've ditched the Balenciaga dog jumper I was wearing that day and am only in a gradated black/white t-shirt by Helm [..] > read more

Charlie May A/W 2012

Published on 2012-02-22 05:30:00

On Saturday night I had the immense pleasure of getting to see Charlie May put on her second ever RTW presentation during fashion week. You probably recognise her as the Girl A La Mode version of Charlie who crops up in my posts and can be found screaming #A2A or #hashtagtotesamaze at me on Twitter. But in the real world Charlie actually lives the sometimes less than glamorous life of an up-and-coming womenswear designer. I know how much work (and money) goes into creating a collection like t [..] > read more

McQ A/W 2012

Published on 2012-02-20 18:19:00

OK guys, you all know I'm not exactly the must-post-this-instantly kind of blogger but I just had to get these photos edited and up here right away. If you saw my tweet delirium earlier you'll know why I am so excited – today I was invited to attend McQ's first ever runway show! Sarah Burton has recently brought the diffusion line back into the Alexander McQueen fold and taken the helm of the design team. I still can't quite believe I got to see such a beautiful spectacle; this was nothing [..] > read more

Corrie Nielsen A/W 2012

Published on 2012-02-19 06:28:00

I'm starting my first fashion week post with the first show I attended on Friday (I guess that's the right way to do things), Corrie Nielsen. Corrie maintained her couture style - although she threw in a few more 'wearable' pieces, probably to boost sales now that she has made her name - and took her inspiration this season from 18th Century Scotland. Maybe it's because I am actually Scottish that by the end of the show I had started to find the references to the homeland bordering on the supe [..] > read more

Björn Borg

Published on 2012-02-18 07:02:00

There is only one word capable of describing the Björn Borg 'Turn The Lights Off' party on Thursday night - INSANE. Battersea power station illuminated by a 3D laser light show. Hot tubs. A full-on buffet with oyster bar. Models prancing on a giant bed in their underwear. A live performance by Robyn and Coco Sumner. That bottle of Cointreau we 'borrowed' from behind the bar to set up our own cocktail station at the end of the runway. What else could a boy want?I'm not completely sure the [..] > read more

Paul & Joe Menswear A/W 2012

Published on 2012-02-15 03:13:00

It's funny how things work out sometimes. When I set off for Paris last month on my whistle-stop trip to fashion week, I actually only had three shows confirmed; I was planning to spend the rest of my two days sight-seeing and visiting friends. But of course, as soon as I checked into my hotel, I discovered a pile of show tickets I hadn't requested and sadly many of them were for the days I'd be back in London beavering away. I also received a last minute email from the people at Paul & Joe w [..] > read more

Trullo Tasting

Published on 2012-02-13 03:08:00

Warning: Before you continue reading please be aware that this post is pure, unadulterated food pornography. During the cold winter months it's very important to treat oneself and keep one's energy up... Well that's what I always tell myself, although I seem to think there are 12 months of winter in the year. Nevertheless, Charlie, Lexxi and I certainly treated ourselves a couple of weeks ago when we were invited to try out Italian restaurant Trullo. It was just a short jaunt on the Overgroun [..] > read more

John Lawrence Sullivan

Published on 2012-02-10 03:15:00

Admittedly I didn't really know much about Japanese designer Arashi Yanagawa, or his brand John Lawrence Sullivan, before I attended his show in Paris last month, but having taken a glance at his website this makes sense - while being stocked all over Japan I couldn't trace one stockist here in Europe. There are quite a few designers like this who show in Paris for the prestige but actually only sell back in Asia. It's a funny concept but I guess there is still that cachet associated with the [..] > read more

Snow Day

Published on 2012-02-07 10:53:00

"Snow! In the UK! Everybody freak out!" That was basically what everybody was screaming at me via the Twits on Saturday evening. You'd think we never have inclement weather here... Well we do, but I guess it is true that it doesn't snow that often and it was rather exciting to have two days of freezing-your-nips-off temperatures. However, I am not one to be put off by such slippery trifles and decided to enjoy my weekend out regardless, rather than stay inside and rant to anyone who'd listen [..] > read more

Stella for Spring

Published on 2012-02-06 03:30:00

Lusting, wanting, needing, etc; totes amaze, so chic, blah, blah. These four tops from Stella McCartney's Resort collection have me mumbling all the fashion blog clichés to myself on the hour, every hour. I went into the West London Browns this weekend with Brooke to try and source them but I'm afraid they weren't in stock. I have, however, tracked some of them down online and may find myself in the South Molton Street store at some point this month to stroke them with requisite Oooh's and A [..] > read more

Fashion Monitored

Published on 2012-02-03 05:59:00

It's kind of funny that just over a year ago I was "borrowing" a Fashion Monitor subscription from university to quench my thirst for industry knowledge and now not only am I a subscriber myself but I was invited to attend their first party in London ahead of the A/W shows. Not working in fashion during the day, I can still feel like quite an outsider at these kinds of things, but I could definitely get used to the lifestyle :) Oh, and the lovely Hannah White and Emily-Rose Cater made me feel [..] > read more

Y Project

Published on 2012-02-01 04:59:00

I was planning to start my Paris fashion week by meeting up with Jess and Andrew for Yohan Serfaty's Y Project show but they never actually made it to the Maison des Métallos, being trapped in a 10 course truffle-attack at 3 Michelin-starred L'Astrance. I'd say they missed out but then I'm a total truffle fanatic so am currently experience major food envy. In any case, I certainly enjoyed Yohan's show. He had chosen only three models who proceeded to change in front of us, behind backlit scr [..] > read more

Pizza Party

Published on 2012-01-31 05:19:00

Although I'm meant to be chained to my desk for the next six months (I'm working hard, I promise! My elastic constants are converging nicely), sometimes you get invited to an event you simply can't turn down. And when that event involves dressing up in chef's whites *and* eating then just try to stop me...Charlie, Lexxi and I (aka the #A2A team) were the only fashion bloggers invited to join a night of pizza making at Assaggetti on Haymarket. They'd both been before and gave it great reviews - [..] > read more

Spicebomb

Published on 2012-01-27 08:52:00

The other evening I was casually sipping champagne at the Charlotte Street Hotel and catching up with other fashion bloggers I haven't seen since last year when, subito, we were kidnapped by hunky men all dressed in black, dragged across London to an abandoned parking garage, packed into an industrial lift, led into a pitch black room and then were subjected to an explosion of ridiculous proportions. No, this was not just another Wednesday night (or the Grindr-fuelled fulfilment of some bizarre [..] > read more

Jean-Paul Gaultier menswear A/W 2012

Published on 2012-01-25 04:59:00

Being born in the 80s but a true child of the 90s I grew up with the glamorous fashion ideal of Cindy, Naomi and Linda necking a bottle of Bolli, snorting a line of coke and climbing off their Greek shipping heirs' laps long enough to swagger and pout their way down a catwalk, keeping just enough energy to shower their chosen designer with kisses and flowers at the end of the spectacle. Then I went to London Fashion Week and saw the reality of sexless twigs marching stony-faced to some avant-ga [..] > read more

Thoughts on couture

Published on 2011-07-06 05:59:00

My idea of haute couture - a term which is misused more and more, even by those within the fashion industry - is an elaborate fantasy, a showcase for an atelier's practical skills as well as a designer's artistic vision. It isn't necessarily ab > read more

Rules for the Modern Gentleman

Published on 2011-07-05 16:02:00

OK, so some of you might be wondering why I'm writing about Dolce and Gabbana since it isn't a name which features regularly on this old blog. Let me start by saying clearly that this post has been sponsored by the Italian mega-brand (hey, a du > read more

A tale of two cities

Published on 2011-07-04 16:49:00

This was the first year I've ever been to a Pride event. I had this idea (probably derived from television) that Pride was all about tanned men in their underwear dancing in public, getting drunk, and then all rushing off to some gay mega-club > read more

Papped!

Published on 2011-07-04 11:43:00

Seems like my face is cropping up all over the interwebs now, scaring little children and such-like. I found my latest portrait on fash mag website Status Magazine where I was snapped outside the Henrik Vibskov menswear show in Paris last week.  > read more

Loser like me: Glee!

Published on 2011-07-01 04:20:00

Anna, Bianca and I have been waiting (impatiently) since December but finally Wednesday night came - and it was GLEE TIME!! It was so awesome I almost have no words; Puck, Kurt, BLAINE, The Warblers, and all the rest of the Glee cast were incre > read more

Interview with Sibling!

Published on 2011-06-30 05:00:00

While I was in Paris I took the opportunity to visit some of the showrooms and in particular I got a preview of hot London knitwear label Sibling's collection for Spring/Summer 2012! Now containing pieces for both women and men, the S/S12 range > read more

Paris Fashion Week: Rynshu

Published on 2011-06-29 08:36:00

What can I saw about Rynshu's Spring/Summer 2012 show in the basement of the Maison des Métallos? Well, what Jess described as 'the Japanese Balmain' lived up to its reputation for Hollywood-style bling and celebrity status with a collection t > read more

Papped!

Published on 2011-06-29 04:54:00

Strange coming across pictures of yourself on Japanese website ChangeFashion, particularly when they were snapped at the relaunch of Guts for Garters which the site doesn't seem to mention at all! Those of you who actually read Japanese may be able t > read more

Paris Fashion Week: Ann Demeulemeester

Published on 2011-06-28 15:42:00

Ann Demeulemeester produced the most beautiful show I saw during fashion week, which was quite a bonus given that it was the first time I was invited to attend one of her presentations! Standing ticket in hand, I patiently queued with the horde > read more

Paris Fashion Week: Songzio

Published on 2011-06-28 05:47:00

The invitation to the Songzio S/S 2012 show came inscribed with a poem:The two clocks show different times. Both wrong. One is slow. Instead of telling the time, the other seems to point to where I stand. I relate to it as twi > read more

Paris Fashion Week: 22/4

Published on 2011-06-27 12:00:00

Düsseldorf-based designer Stephanie Hahn is the woman behind the semi-unisex brand 22/4 (i.e. 2+2=4, get it?) who presented her collection in Paris this weekend. Represented by RelativeMO, it was a lush affair with a DJ, flowing champagne and > read more

Paris Fashion Week: Henrik Vibskov

Published on 2011-06-27 08:00:00

Henrik Vibskov always puts on a show, and this time he didn't disappoint (in that respect), creating a rotating four-room building in the middle of the usual lycée he uses, with the models climbing through doorways to get around the catwalk. S > read more

Paris Fashion Week: Qasimi Homme

Published on 2011-06-27 05:15:00

I'm home, I've semi recovered (aka I lay in bed for an extra two hours this morning whilst stuffing my face from my 15-piece box of Ladurée macaroons) and now it's time to upload everything from my burnt-out memory card. Doing things in a bit > read more

JP at Henrik Vibskov

Published on 2011-06-26 04:35:00

Spotted my old fashion week buddy JP outside the Henrik Vibskov show (more on that later when I get back to my fully functioning laptop) rocking a black and white look of folds and drapery. Fabulous as ever... From the Philippines, JP has a blog, an > read more

Can you say Gi-ven-chy?

Published on 2011-06-25 12:18:00

It had to be done. You're only in Paris once (every 6 months). Necklace by Eddie Borgo from the Colette sale, t-shirt by Givenchy from the kind-of-secret Givenchy sale. :-) XxxDuck > read more

Paris Fashion Week: Julius

Published on 2011-06-25 11:35:00

I've never been invited to a Julius show before so I was excited to see what it was like and, in particular, how it might differ from the similar pseudogothic brands on the market. Held in the Maison des Métallos, the room was pitch black, the seati > read more

Paris Fashion Week: Vier5 Fashion Department

Published on 2011-06-25 01:59:00

The German Vier5 collective is making a stand against mass-market clothing companies and the industrial nature of corporate fashion design by producing small, hand-made collections each season which also include unique, one-off items. Everything abou > read more

Oh no I didn't...

Published on 2011-06-24 15:41:00

The secret upside of going to men's fashion week that nobody wants to tell you is that the Paris sales coincide with it. So everyone turns up to the shows wearing "in season" looks, but actually they rushed down to Rue Saint-Honoré that morning to p > read more

It all looks like bollocks so it must be worth something!

Published on 2011-06-24 15:01:00

Yes, yes, I am actually in Paris right now, smack bang in the middle of Paris Fashion Week madness and my own self-induced shopping nightmare(/heaven). I probably should be posting my show photos right now but I'm sure you've all heard enough of my o > read more

Packing, packing, packing

Published on 2011-06-22 15:37:00

Eeek I have now left Oxford and am in London staying with Anna until extremely early Friday morning (*sigh*) when I set off for Paris Fashion Week! I have lots of fun planned for the weekend, but last night was spent very stressfully arranging possib > read more

Jil Sander up-close

Published on 2011-06-21 04:32:00

I was just watching this full-length video of the SS2012 Jil Sander show I raved about the other day and was struck by several things I hadn't gleaned from the runway photos (apart from how bad some of the guys are at walking in a straight line...). > read more

Versace Prints!

Published on 2011-06-20 14:56:00

Just this morning TeamChutzpah and I were discussing how we'd love to see Versace return to its 80s and 90s heyday of prints when BAM! there it is, Donatella's reinterpretation of the house classics filtering through my twitterfeed.  It's not exactl > read more

Jil Sander SS 2012

Published on 2011-06-19 16:43:00

I fear with each passing year that Vogue's Tim Blanks is becoming ever more bitter - how else could you explain his distaste for the modern celebration of youth that is Raf Simon's latest collection for Jil Sander? Admittedly it wasn't what I w > read more

Hot picks from the Mr Porter sale

Published on 2011-06-17 06:11:00

Well, well, it's finally upon us - the first ever menswear sale by the husband site of Net-a-Porter, Mr Porter* **. And despite my previous concerns, it's actually a pretty good one; 50% off is not to be sniffed at... Except by me, of course, b > read more

Ceci n'est pas un homme

Published on 2011-06-16 14:49:00

The latest incarnation of the Guts for Garters concept store held in the basement of the Cob Gallery, Surreal Women, takes as its muse the gender-bending French artist Claude Cahun (born Lucy Schwob). Rachel and Cassie have reworked the store into a > read more

Summer elegance

Published on 2011-06-13 14:15:00

I've come to be quite a fan of Irish designer John Rocha, especially since I got taken on a tour of his London store and was able to get a little more intimate with the collection. His looks are never particularly trend-driven and fall into tha > read more

DSM Bonanza

Published on 2011-06-12 11:56:00

It's mighty rainy today in Oxford which is weather perfectly conducive to blogging about the fantastical purchases I made yesterday when it was bright and sunny in London. You see, that bastion of avant-garde fashion that is Dover Street Market > read more

Blue

Published on 2011-06-10 03:52:00

It finally happened - I took the plunge and got my hair BLEACHED! Last night Anna and I spent a good four hours (don't ask) in the Bleach London salon get bleached out and coloured in along with a sneaky little trim or too. My blue colour is a > read more

Almost there

Published on 2011-06-08 09:07:00

Considering how much money has disappeared from my bank account over the past month thanks to all the sales going on in London and online, I'm starting to fear I may never actually get around to buying any of the AW pieces when they come into stores > read more

Comme un garcon

Published on 2011-06-07 07:20:00

As I said yesterday, this past weekend was all about tracking down the perfect backpack. A year of lugging around heavy shoulder bags loaded with the SLR, the iPad, a massive wallet stuffed with various foreign currencies, not to mention schedu > read more

Hold all my calls

Published on 2011-06-06 16:22:00

A lack of blogging on my part usually means one of two things - I'm either working incredibly hard, or I'm really not working at all! The past week has been a bit of both; last week I finished a draft of the first paper I'm writing based on my DPhil > read more

Just call me "professional"

Published on 2011-06-02 03:23:00

Wooo, just got these images in from the Eva London campaign which Meera and I styled. Given it is an accessories brand it was kind of difficult to pull pieces from PRs so you might recognise a few of my own items that crept onto set. Also, many > read more

Going native

Published on 2011-06-01 08:36:00

Leave any boy worth his salt alone in a room with Lady Gaga's Scheiße playing and he's going to start vamping. Throw in some leopard print, some bunny ears and these new black and grey tortoiseshell glasses from Japanese brands Nonnative x Kan > read more

Black Pearl

Published on 2011-05-31 04:09:00

It often seems to me like I'm usually the last guy to jump on a fashion bandwagon, although sometimes I think I take so long to pick up on a 'trend' that I end up being the only person doing it and somehow it becomes cool again... Well, I'm hoping th > read more

Witchy witchy

Published on 2011-05-30 04:00:00

Taking inspiration from Fashematics, Meadham Kirchhoff is my current AW obsession because it combines my loves of camp cuteness, witchcraft and comedy Alpine costumes. The witch-silhouette sweater was the first piece to make it onto my AW wishl > read more

World Traveller

Published on 2011-05-27 03:30:00

I didn't go on a GAP year after school (mainly because I'm not a *cough* twat) so I didn't have the opportunity to tour all those God-forsaken countries people tend to visit, teaching English to kids who'll only ever use it to talk to the next wave o > read more

ACOFI hits Oxford

Published on 2011-05-26 04:08:00

It's rare that anything happens in sleepy Oxford which drags me out of my riverside flat or the Modelling Laboratory (less fun than its name suggests) but last night Amelia Gregory of Amelia's Magazine fame dropped by as part of her Amelia's Compendi > read more

Bleach

Published on 2011-05-25 03:10:00

You might have noticed my hair is getting longer and longer and longer... I have now surpassed the length which almost got me banned from my own school prize-giving when I was 18, and the growing process is starting to get tiresome even though I have > read more

Disnery Roller Girl for Club Monaco for Browns

Published on 2011-05-23 04:18:00

One of my favourite stores in London, Browns, has recently become the only UK stockist of Canadian brand Club Monaco (now run as part of Ralph Lauren). It's a bit like a high-end version of Banana Republic or J Crew - that kind of classic, summ > read more

Smells good

Published on 2011-05-20 07:27:00

I'm such a sucker for what people tell me in magazines. I was reading 10Men (buy it!) this weekend on the plane going to Düsseldorf and somebody writing there told me to buy Prada's Amber perfume. Now I'm not so easily swayed as that usu > read more

Caveman

Published on 2011-05-19 05:45:00

I was watching a behind-the-scenes video on Attitude magazine's Youtube channel (can't find the original link now...) and I wondered why the makeup artist spent so long painting the models' faces in all sorts of garish colours when they were going to > read more

Duck got a new look

Published on 2011-05-18 07:01:00

Guess who got photographed by Jackie Dixon for the New Look blog? Other bloggers featured include Kit Style Slicker, Amy Wolf Whistle, Alex Loves, Serena Freak Deluxe and Miggy Likes The Internet. You can find all the photos here. S > read more

Nil points!

Published on 2011-05-18 04:29:00

Some of you may know this weekend I was in Düsseldorf for what is becoming an annual Duck family holiday - the Eurovision song contest! Oh yes, watching it on TV and singing along to the subtitles is no longer enough for us, we actually have t > read more

Topshop/Topman Press Day

Published on 2011-05-17 13:53:00

At this year's Arcadia Group press day we were limited to 5 photos per brand, which pretty much scuppered my opportunity to summarise the looks stores like Topshop, Miss Selfridge etc have in store for us after the summer. So instead I took the > read more

Jade Jagger launch at Milletré

Published on 2011-05-16 12:10:00

After a hard day of trudging round press events there's nothing a blogger likes more than another...err...press preview, albeit one with tasty cocktails! I finished off my day spent with Alex last week but fighting my way through the crowd at M > read more

Pet't

Published on 2011-05-16 07:44:00

Thanks to Anna's nickname (Pet't chef aka The Little Chef) I have a soft spot for all things ickle, and that includes the cutesy and stripy offerings from Le Petit Bateau, which also makes clothes for grown-ups like us! Last week they launched their > read more

New Looks for old bloggers

Published on 2011-05-16 07:32:00

Those of you with blogs of your own might know that Blogger decided to fail on us at the end of last week, which means I have several posts stuck in a backlog to get onto the site before I can get around to uploading my photos from Eurovision. > read more

Sparkle!

Published on 2011-05-11 07:30:00

If you follow me on Twitter you might just have noticed that I can't stop talking about the campest queerfest ever that is the Eurovision Song Contest, and the fact that I AM GOING TO EUROVISION AGAIN!! This time I'll be hitting up Düsseldorf > read more

Flower power

Published on 2011-05-10 05:30:00

Sooo many thanks to Anna for giving me this wonderful Jil Sander scarf for my birthday! I can't actually believe someone followed the suggestions in my summer moodboard... I'm going to have a lot of fun playing with this one, seeing which coloured c > read more

*DIED*

Published on 2011-05-09 04:00:00

On Friday after our Shabbat dinner, I got the chance to shoot some pieces from a brand new to the UK market on my willing model Bianca. *DIED* started up in the Netherlands and is designed by Diederik Verbakel and Marieke Holthuis, both former > read more

Sabbath Rox

Published on 2011-05-08 04:02:00

This weekend Bianca cooked me an awesome dairy-free Friday night dinner (involving chestnut and mushroom pie and berries with soya whipped cream). We went through the siddur and did everything properly (minus the necessary impromptu brit), and > read more

Judas - Part I

Published on 2011-05-05 10:37:00

I've gotta let this digest for a while before I write another post. You can expect some more blasphemy coming your way later this evening!xxDuck > read more

Tack så mycket!

Published on 2011-05-05 03:45:00

More scando-teutonic fashionable goodness from my trip to Berlin! Agency V covers the press for a range of Northern European brands including Henrik Vibskov (whom I blogged about earlier and who just launched his new store in New York), high st > read more

Faux fur

Published on 2011-05-04 05:32:00

In the Anastasia & Duck office, we're lusting after a teddy-bear fur jacket in just this hue of blue. Cookies optional. Suggestions on a postcard.xxDuck > read more

Stripes for summer

Published on 2011-05-03 15:26:00

It's another beautiful, sunny day in Oxford and Duck has put his back out. Not from a night of unbridled passion (more's the pity), but more than likely because the old spine is no longer used to the office chair after such a long spell of travellin > read more

Celebrate good times!

Published on 2011-05-02 04:47:00

Thank you to everyone who came out with me on Saturday to celebrate the incredibly depressing achievement of reaching the age of 25 - I am almost certainly now over a quarter of the way through my life :-S But anyway, many thanks are also due t > read more

Issey Miyake!

Published on 2011-04-30 04:45:00

Thank you so much to the lovely people at Issey Miyake who sent me over this wonderful printed shirt as a belated birthday present (I refuse to refer to this as 'gifting' *shudders*)! I actually got my hands on it at the end of last week though > read more

Tim Soar press day

Published on 2011-04-29 04:30:00

For Autumn 2011 Tim Soar is all about outerwear, and I can't wait to get my hands on it, especially those contrast sleeves... The womenswear features androgynous or masculine looks which are a little like Alexander Wang AW 2010, and one of the > read more

Henrik Vibskov knitwear

Published on 2011-04-28 04:09:00

When I was in Berlin for the weekend visiting David, I took the opportunity to go to Agency V's press office and have a gander at their Autumn/Winter collections. First on my list was Henrik Vibskov, whose The Eat show I caught in Paris in Janu > read more

Eva London photoshoot

Published on 2011-04-27 03:30:00

Apologies for having neglected the blog since last week but I've been having an alternately stressful and relaxing Easter weekend, and trying to enjoy the few scraps of sunshine I'm likely to see this year. On the relaxing front I got to do a s > read more

Blood by Boris Bidjan Saberi

Published on 2011-04-23 08:00:00

Boris Bidjan Saberi's AW lookbook just arrived at Casa di Duck and it's a stonker! You might remember my report from the show in Paris last season, held underground, in the dark, with a glaring red light illuminating skateboarding models in wha > read more

A Prada summer lookbook

Published on 2011-04-22 04:35:00

This fabulous lookbook/manifesto for summer came with my Prada creepers and it was simply too good not to share. Kind of shows some striking similarities with my spring/summer moodboard, n'est-ce pas? This one is getting laminated and sto > read more

Berlin

Published on 2011-04-21 05:30:00

I got back from my weekend in Berlin on Monday night and I still haven't even unpacked properly yet (I know, I know...) but at least I've managed to upload my photos to the internet :-) I didn't carry my SLR around with me all day because it st > read more

French Fashion

Published on 2011-04-20 04:30:00

WARNING: MORE HOLIDAY PHOTOS ALERTOutside of Paris, France isn't particularly well-known for its fashions, for good reason...I did, however, happily discover that hipster brand Zadig & Voltaire is now making glasses too. Who'd've thunk it.x > read more

Happy birthday to me, love Anastasia xx

Published on 2011-04-19 03:30:00

I saw them. I wanted them. I couldn't afford them. Anastasia called the bank manager for me. Anastasia called the Prada store in London. Anastasia called Prada in Milan. Anastasia had a conference call with Miuccia > read more

Prom

Published on 2011-04-18 08:00:00

As per a discussion on Twitter before the weekend, I missed out on being Homecoming Queen at my school and the world missed out on seeing me in a prom dress. WTF? I look way hotter than any of these bitches...From top: Ann-Sofie Back, som > read more

Traveller's rest

Published on 2011-04-15 04:30:00

I may have only been away for just over a week, but I've managed to fit in five countries and countless towns and villages, so I was feeling rather tired when I made it to my German destination (although I'm muchly excited about my jaunt to Berlin th > read more

Issey Miyake Eyewear

Published on 2011-04-14 09:00:00

I like Issey Miyake, the Japanese brand now no longer headed creatively by Mr Miyake himself, or one of his protégés Dai Fujiwara, although I believe they are both still involved in the design process to some extent. It stands for thoughtful, inte > read more

Champers

Published on 2011-04-14 04:30:00

Mother, Father and I spent one night in Epernay in the heart of the champagne region, and took the opportunity to visit a few of the famous houses whose headquarters line the Avenue de Champagne: Moët et Chandon, Perrier Jouët, Pol Roger, Boizel, D > read more

Dining out

Published on 2011-04-13 04:30:00

One night in Montreuil-Sur-Mer, two outfits.To explore the town:Striped sweater by AcneBlack wool and (pony) leather coat by Neil BarrettNecklace by Tina LilienthalEmerald ring by Eva London To dine:Shirt by MarniSunglasses by PradaStyling by El > read more

Matchstick Girl

Published on 2011-04-12 13:17:00

A while ago I blogged about Imagine Fashion, the new video/editorial/shopping site with cool interactive technology. Well I just got a little preview of their next short film, this time directed by Dusan and Hilde Reljin, called Matchstick Girl > read more

France: A photo diary

Published on 2011-04-12 04:30:00

Easter Holiday Part I is over and I'm currently working for the week in Bochum (and dealing with nightmares like credit card fraud :( :( ). So now it's time for the holiday snaps! I think the title of this post rather speaks for itself... > read more

Discovering Paul Smith for the very first time...

Published on 2011-04-11 03:30:00

For Spring/Summer 2011 it appears Paul Smith's creative team (I'm presuming here he doesn't actually design the entire collection...) tried something new, and reinvented the menswear line - read Tim Blank's analysis here. Of course, I'm only ju > read more

Mackintosh, the remix

Published on 2011-04-09 05:00:00

Not much to write on this one, except 'did everybody know Mackintosh doesn't just make Macs now??' Oh right, it was just me then? #DeflatedFace In any case, I'm liking these cosy looking women's capes right now, although I gues > read more

Richard Chai for Original Penguin

Published on 2011-04-08 03:30:00

One brand I was surprised by during the few London press days I made it to this season was Original Penguin, which this year collaborated with New York designer Richard Chai for their Winter 2011 offering. Richard isn't new to diffusion lines, > read more

Owls in Fashion

Published on 2011-04-07 08:00:00

Thanks to Simon G, I have another addition to the Owls in Fashion series, this time brought to us by Alpha60. You can pick up this barn owl bedecked sweater at ASOS, although it doesn't come cheap (£100) - that's what you pay for silk!xxxDuck > read more

Katie Eary goes green

Published on 2011-04-07 03:30:00

I didn't get a chance to go to Katie Eary's AW show this season (because of the Oxford-presentation-fiasco of which we shall not speak...) so I was more than happy to see the collection at the Exposure Edit press day. I checked out the runway s > read more

Basso & Brooke AW 2011: The Prints

Published on 2011-04-06 15:14:00

I didn't get a chance to go to Basso and Brooke's presentation this season (downgraded from their usual showspace venue...) but I was glad to see the collection up-close at the Exposure Edit press day. Not my favourite from the design duo (the Sprin > read more

Marc goes drag for Industrie

Published on 2011-04-05 03:30:00

Yesterday's post on Candy reminded me I never got around to uploading these images from the current edition of Industrie (ummm, when did they fuse their site with BryanBoy and Fashion Toast??), which also features transvestism heavily, this time in t > read more

Candy Mag

Published on 2011-04-04 03:30:00

Last week after an aborted attempt at getting my own John Rocha neoprene backpack (the straps were too small and non adjustable - back to the drawing board I guess), I was tempted into the Dover Street Acne store by the drizzle, and the racket produc > read more

Road Trip

Published on 2011-04-02 04:45:00

You might only hear from me rather irregularly over the next couple of weeks because I'm going on a short road trip around Europe. I'll be spending a week in France with my family (enjoying the special vegetarian delights of Montreuil-sur-Mer a > read more

Woof woof!

Published on 2011-04-01 06:25:00

Just had my weekly (alright, daily...) browse on Browns website and came across this cute little mutt designed by Christopher Raeburn, who clearly has decided kitting out Londoners with the coolest rain-mates isn't quite fulfilling enough. The > read more

Taking one step forward with Doc Martens

Published on 2011-04-01 03:30:00

Next season Dr Martens are stepping up their game by giving some classic footwear styles the Martens punk twist. Think shiny brown shoes and brogues with a chunky sole and lightly stacked heel. This sounds like a good idea to me given the > read more

A Summer Moodboard

Published on 2011-03-31 03:30:00

I've been working on my moodboard for this summer, collating images and references for the particular trends that have caught my eye. I tried to theme it from left to right, gradually moving from bright colour blocking, though neon tweeds and l > read more

Mr Porter - not quite what I had in mind

Published on 2011-03-30 03:30:00

I've waited a long time for it. The years of buying womenswear on Net-A-Porter and stretching it to fit, or hoping that ASOS would add more and more high-end brands to their ever expanding line-up should have been over. Just a month or so > read more

Maria Francesca Pepe S/S

Published on 2011-03-29 03:30:00

Sometimes my life just seems strangely serendipitous, like this week when my Maria Francesca Pepe Spring/Summer order finally arrived at the studio, and Anna and I popped over to Hackney to pick it up [and to make our order for next season while we w > read more

Vanessa G.

Published on 2011-03-28 05:58:00

Sorry it's taken me a few days to catch up on my missed blog posts from last week - I've had an action-packed weekend, but also I really wanted to give myself a chance to think about what I saw at the launch of Vanessa G last week before saying anyth > read more

Faun bloggers preview

Published on 2011-03-28 05:27:00

Last week I got the chance to sip hot tea and cool Orangina (seriously!! how old-school. of me..) with a bunch of my fellow bloggers over at the Out Of Town café/vintage store in Clerkenwell, all organised by Freewheelin PR in aid of new womenswear > read more

Owls In Fashion

Published on 2011-03-25 06:08:00

I have loved owls as long as I have known Anastasia (and almost just as long as she has hated me). Now, it seems, the whole world has gone owl mad. They crop up in magazines, wallpaper, book covers, crockery, jewellery, and even plastered > read more

Without Prejudice launch

Published on 2011-03-23 04:40:00

Last Thursday saw the launch of ready-to-wear menswear brand Without Prejudice's first concession in a House of Fraser, which I'd never heard of before despite already being stocked in over 70 independent stores around the UK and Ireland. Sourc > read more

Lewis's Fifth Floor: A Department Story

Published on 2011-03-22 04:40:00

Last week I got a chance to preview a little exhibition going on at The Orange Dot Gallery over on Tavistock Place, Lewis's Fifth Floor: A Department Story. Photographer Stephen King spent months exploring and snapping the abandoned fifth floor > read more

Wolf and Badger Discount

Published on 2011-03-21 15:02:00

As you know, Wolf and Badger celebrated their first anniversary with a fabulously overcrowded party last week (photo of Anna and me above stolen from Livin Cool) and we all left with a cute little gift-bag filled with jewellery delights. Now W& > read more

Bloggers for Japan: Sneak-Peek

Published on 2011-03-21 04:40:00

This Saturday (26th) afternoon the fabulous Katie Antoniou has organised a Bloggers for Japan sale at The Horatia in London. Not to be missed if you want to pick up some vintage bargains amongst other goodies, or just to support charities working in > read more

Lacroix, sweetie, Lacroix!

Published on 2011-03-19 14:00:00

Once upon a time, Liberty had a gorgeous scarf room. Then they filled it with pretty little shoes. Now that room is stuffed with stationery, my secret vice. Yes, the moleskin notebooks and generic bric-a-brac are a touch too reminis > read more

Happy Birthday Wolf and Badger

Published on 2011-03-18 06:00:00

I'd like to wish a great big fashiony Happy Birthday to Wolf and Badger who celebrated their first anniversary in their Westbourne Grove store last night with a seriously packed party! It was so busy I could barely see who else was there, but I > read more

META.MORPH

Published on 2011-03-17 05:20:00

META.MORPH is the fashion film featuring Úna Burke's AW 2011 collection directed by Andreas Waldschütz, made in collaboration with his long time creative team led by Adia Trischler and collodion wetplate photographer Stefan Sappert. Many th > read more

The best things in life are free

Published on 2011-03-16 04:30:00

I lied. It would be nice to have a gentleman friend to send me gifts, but for now I make do with my second best option - me! It's the little things that perk up your day...xxxDuck > read more

Guts for Garters

Published on 2011-03-15 04:30:00

My coverage of the launch of new concept store Guts for Garters really shows just how bad a blogger I am. Did I go to the press preview day at the Hospital Club? No. Did I email over my interview questions like I was supposed to?&nb > read more

John Rocha - The hidden treasure

Published on 2011-03-14 04:30:00

I don't always feel comfortable in high-end stores. As a younger person, staff often stare at you suspiciously when browsing the expensive rails despite the fact that you're already wearing half the collection. Actually, sometimes they ar > read more

Yohji Yamamoto window

Published on 2011-03-12 08:44:00

Walking past the Yohji store on Conduit Street, I noticed they are advertising the V&A exhibition. Go, you know you want to... Also, I highly recommend popping into the store too - I love looking at all the amazing designs, even if I > read more

Narcissism

Published on 2011-03-12 08:15:00

I love this image that Immi Abraham of Style For Guys/monsieur immi sent me, and not just because it looks like he used the same font as seen in the Io sono l'amore ads... Now, who else fancies un chinotto? I'm wearing a floral t-shirt by Jil S > read more

Yohji Yamamoto at the V&A

Published on 2011-03-11 04:09:00

Since seeing the Future Beauty exhibition at the Barbican Centre earlier this year, I have developed somewhat of an obsession with Japanese design, rekindling some of that excitement I felt as a teenager when I discovered Japan through cartoons, book > read more

Highlights of Autumn/Winter: London

Published on 2011-03-08 15:38:00

It's been a funny old fashion month, with several unexpected designers catching my eye, old favourites making a comeback, and some bright young things failing to achieve. Here I've collated my top looks from across all the London shows so I kno > read more

Michael loves Alex loves Hannah Warner

Published on 2011-03-07 07:00:00

Back in December I was lucky enough to win one of Alex Love's blog-iversary competitions, and especially lucky that my prize was a newly-crafted silver lizard skull ring (complete with ruby eyes...) by up-and-coming jewellery designer Hannah Warner, > read more

Manifest yourself

Published on 2011-03-07 03:10:00

For the first time ever I managed to get my hands on one of YSL's twice-yearly manifestos, featuring photography of Stefano Pilati's Spring/Summer collection, information about the inspiration behind it and generally related artwork. And all because > read more

The end of an era

Published on 2011-03-06 15:22:00

It's a shame it had to come to this. I've never been a massive fan of John Galliano's designs and I will be glad to see new life brought to Christian Dior, which has been looking rather dated recently, but obviously I wouldn't want someone's ca > read more

Conquistador

Published on 2011-03-06 09:31:00

Right in the middle of Paris womenswear week as we are, let's take a mahoosive leap back in time to the menswear shows in January when I got a chance to check in at Conquistador's studio with Jean-Luc from système-D. The Greek designer Tassos > read more

Imagine Fashion

Published on 2011-03-03 14:46:00

During LFW I got the chance to pop into the Hospital Club in Covent Garden to check out what had been described to me as the future of online fashion, and I must say I wasn't disappointed! Imagine Fashion is like a commercial überblog, a one-stop s > read more

AOFM at Vauxhall Fashion Scout

Published on 2011-03-03 03:41:00

During their hectic schedule of fashion week, Forward PR extended a very welcome invitation to come backstage at one of their shows to learn about the hair and makeup process. This season the London makeup academy AOFM Pro (Academy of Freelance > read more

Úna Burke

Published on 2011-03-02 03:47:00

I came across Úna Burke's [the síneadh fada's important :) ] artistic leather creations at the Vauxhall Fashion Scout exhibition during LFW while waiting for a show to start in the halls beneath and struck up a conversation with the chatty Irish de > read more

Jacob Kimmie AW 2011

Published on 2011-03-01 06:08:00

Here we are folks, the final review of a LFW show I attended this season! And what a way to finish, with the gorgeous model (above) who posed on a plinth for us throughout Jacob Kimmie's AW 2011 show. I'm not totally sure of his relevance > read more

Florian Jayet - the highlight of Fashion Mode

Published on 2011-02-28 15:59:00

Fashion Mode is a brilliant initiative which supports and mentors three new designers each year, giving them access to experts in the fashion industry and a platform to showcase their work as part of Vauxhall Fashion Scout. This season they wor > read more

The presentation that never was

Published on 2011-02-28 15:35:00

So this is a pretty confusing one! Those wily people from Orla Kiely enticed us into the Portico Rooms of Somerset House for their AW 2011 presentation like they always do, lured by the promise of champagne and the chance to view their quirky-g > read more

Atropos by harryhalim

Published on 2011-02-28 06:26:00

A little videographic teaser of what's to come at harryhalim's first official runway show in Paris tomorrow, starring model Diwa. The sultry video compliments the nature of Atropos, the oldest of the ancient Greek fates and the harbinger of dea > read more

Masha Ma AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-27 06:49:00

Masha Ma very kindly sent me three invitations to her AW 2011 show (actually, if we include Anna's tickets, I had SIX), so I brought along Bianca Abulafia and my cousin, Sarah Revell, recently returned to our bleak shores from (in my opinion, a bigge > read more

Jayne Pierson AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-27 06:37:00

Jayne Pierson's show at On|Off necessitated an early morning Addison Lee (don't you just love their iPhone app? It makes taking cabs dangerously easy...), but the dark couture styling was sure to wake everyone up. Standouts were the black > read more

Jackie JS Lee AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-27 06:28:00

Every season I end up going to shows for designers I haven't actually heard of before, either because I don't filter my ticket request mail-merge appropriately, or those sneaky PR companies slip a spare invite into their envelopes. Sometimes qu > read more

Topman Design AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-26 10:20:00

I'd like to thank Gemma and Nicola from Topman/Arcadia for getting me to the Topman Design show this season, as I have recently been buying quite a few pieces from their collections and was looking forward to seeing what they had in store for next ye > read more

Prophetik AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-26 10:08:00

Another Vauxhall Fashion Scout brand, Prophetik usually likes to put on a show and this season was no different. Always keen to reinforce their eco credentials, the presentation began with a video projected on the wall detailing the processes t > read more

Jasper Garvida AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-26 09:58:00

Jasper Garvida's AW 2011 collection, presented as part of Vauxhall Fashion Scout, was a strange fusion of high fashion and high street. The former Project Catwalk winner reigned supreme with his flowing gowns and exaggerated upper bodies, bulke > read more

Mr Start AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-25 06:45:00

Mr Start's menswear presentation was held in the basement space of One Aldwych, a rather swanky location just across the road from Somerset House. It was a classy hotel to suit a classy menswear label (despite it's East London origins, or the f > read more

Tween AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-25 04:00:00

Not sure what to say about this one, and I want to be careful because I was in a bad mood the night I saw the Tween AW 2011 show so I mustn't be overly critical, but still... You see, I had to rush back to Oxford on Wednesday afternoon to give > read more

PPQ AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-24 14:57:00

To a thumping soundtrack of rap music from current hip hop stars like Nicki Minaj, the PPQ girls stormed the catwalk to present the AW 2011 collection, hips swinging and pig-tails bouncing to the beat. I've never been very kind to PPQ's designe > read more

J W Anderson AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-24 12:04:00

JW Anderson, what have you done to me?? I never thought the day would come when I'd want to use this word, but your latest menswear collection was SICK. Yes, it was very similar to the new womenswear you showed earlier in the week, but I > read more

Bryce Aime 2011

Published on 2011-02-24 10:20:00

Bryce Aime returned to old body-conscious direction this season (which, for some reason, he had avoided last September), combining misty printed leggings and tops with highly structured, panelled dresses. The black, grey and white prints were g > read more

Craig Lawrence AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-23 09:46:00

While yesterday I seemed to be complaining about everything I saw, it's as if I saved all the designers I loved to write about today, and Craig Lawrence is no exception. I haven't always been a fan - sometimes his modern ideas about knitwear ar > read more

John Rocha AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-23 09:29:00

John Rocha was another show I enjoyed seeing for AW 2011, invited by the ever fabulous girls from Bryan Morel PR. Inspired by the dramatic landscapes of Iceland, he sent out a team of wool- and fur-clad male and female models headed by Wonder-W > read more

Louise Gray AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-23 09:07:00

I love, love, loved Louise Gray's latest AW 2011 show at On|Off, even if I had to stand in a heaving mass of fashionistas, their spiked jackets digging into my flesh and their SLRs jamming into the back of my head. It seems Louise was quite the > read more

Corrie Nielsen AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-22 04:48:00

I feel like this is turning into the Fashion Fringe official blog (although perhaps they wouldn't be quite so critical of some of their own designers...) but I promise this is my last post on a winner of Colin McDowell's design competition (who, by t > read more

Eun Jeong AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-22 04:35:00

Eun Jeong is another former winner of Fashion Fringe who showed her collection this weekend at LFW, and another designer who clearly hasn't made as large a commercial splash as one might have hoped given her low-key location on the Covent Garden Piaz > read more

Jena.Theo AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-22 03:58:00

Jena.Theo is the award-winning (!) brand designed by Jenny Holmes and Dimitris Theocharidis, who showed this season as part of On|Off now that their Fashion Fringe backing must have run out. I didn't actually request a ticket to this show, not > read more

Maria Grachvogel AW 2011

Published on 2011-02-22 03:56:00

The from the very end right back to the start... The first show I saw this fashion week was Maria Grachvogel's, held in the fabulous surroundings of The Savoy hotel, just around the corner from the main Somerset House BFC venue. I didn't have a > read more

Vivienne Westwood squared

Published on 2011-02-22 03:49:00

I've decided to start my London Fashion Week coverage from the end so to speak (excluding, of course, menswear day which I shall be attending tomorrow) because I just couldn't wait any longer to blog about my amazing Vivienne Westwood experience!&nbs > read more

Bella Roma

Published on 2011-02-16 06:16:00

You may have noticed I wasn't Tweeting or blogging as much over this weekend (or maybe you didn't...) but I have been on holiday in Rome, ostensibly to celebrate my father's 60th birthday (I also had my 21st birthday meal in Rome a few years ago).&nb > read more

Lady Gaga en vogue

Published on 2011-02-10 03:25:00

Editorial photos and an interview featuring Lady Gaga have been uploaded to the American Vogue website - an article I highly recommend reading if you're any kind of fan of La Gaga. She sounds just as fabulously kooky as usual, but it's nice to > read more

Qasimi Homme video!

Published on 2011-02-08 03:21:00

I completely forgot I took a video of the final run-through at the Qasimi Homme AW 2011 show on my iPhone (Qasimi review here). I just discovered it last night while flicking through my hipstamatic photos deciding which ones are blog-suitable a > read more

Sibling gets offensive

Published on 2011-02-07 03:44:00

I've just been taking a look at Sibling London's website and lusting after these two pieces from their Spring/Summer collection... The "Piss Off" mask has another, much more offensive name (yes, more offensive than "Piss Off" mask!), which I am > read more

Sarf Landaaaan

Published on 2011-02-04 16:10:00

Since this party actually happened 7 days ago, it seemed like there was a nice symmetry in posting my photos from it now. Bad, bad, late blogger... Like most occasions in my life, a party at Anna Jewsbury's always turns into an impromptu > read more

Paris Showrooms

Published on 2011-02-04 04:15:00

Although I really didn't have time to go round any showrooms on my whistle-stop tour of Paris fashion week, I did take a peek into the Paris Showrooms at at the Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild since I was there for the Bernhard Willhelm presentation.&nb > read more

Flower Bomb

Published on 2011-02-03 03:42:00

Ever since Raf Simons introduced us to his Spring/Summer 2011 menswear collection for Jil Sander in a special presentation at the Villa Gamberaia as part of Pitti Uomo, I have been in love with this floral print t-shirt. I have studied it close > read more

Backlash by Isamu Katayama

Published on 2011-02-02 04:31:00

Backlash is a Japanese brand founded and led by Isamu Katayama with a major focus on leather. It's not a company I have come across before in Britain or in the press, so perhaps it will be new to you too. I got the chance to check out a f > read more

Sjaak Hullekes

Published on 2011-02-01 07:25:00

One of the first events I attended this season during men's week in Paris was Sjaak Hullekes's slightly unusual presentation in the beautiful Institut Néerlandais/Centre culturel des Pays-Bas. A new designer to me, Sjaak studied at Arnhem (al > read more

Duck, sketched

Published on 2011-01-31 06:32:00

The very talented Jenny Robins just sent over the sketch she made of me at Amelia's launch party on Friday. I quite like the idea of becoming someone's muse... Any takers?xxDuck > read more

Claire in Paris

Published on 2011-01-30 11:54:00

Claire is just so photogenic, I had to post some photos I took of her during Paris menswear week...xxxDuck > read more

Amelia's Compendium of Fashion Illustration

Published on 2011-01-29 03:06:00

Last night I popped over to the 123 store on Bethnal Green Road for the UK launch of Amelia's Compendium of Fashion Illustration, the latest print publication from the lovely Amelia Gregory (above) and her website Amelia's Magazine. Honestly, I > read more

Rynshu AW 2011

Published on 2011-01-28 05:16:00

Alright, I'll admit it - I'd never heard of Rynshu before I discovered it on the official list of brands showing at Paris Fashion Week when I was doing my ticket requests. And then, probably naively, I expected it to be a slightly quirky, avant > read more

Arnys AW 2011: Pretty boys...

Published on 2011-01-27 11:25:00

Arnys is one of those classic French menswear brands that has decided to get with the times and start showing during fashion week - expect traditional suits and leather accessories, country sportswear in tweeds, et cetera. It's not exactly my l > read more

Qasimi AW 2011

Published on 2011-01-27 04:50:00

Unfortunately, my second row seat (and the larger than life person sitting in front of me...) meant that not many of my photographs from the Qasimi Homme show have come out well, but I hope you can get the gist of the collection from them since I can > read more

Petar Petrov AW 2011

Published on 2011-01-26 13:56:00

Last season, Petar Petrov's show was all about happiness and light, but for Autumn/Winter the designer has pulled back in on himself slightly, taking us somewhere darker, more protected, but retaining his typically easy-going, boyish ideal. Whe > read more

Blackout: Boris Bidjan Saberi AW 2011

Published on 2011-01-26 06:11:00

After meeting up for lunch with my friend Claire near Parmentier station, I thought I was going to be late for my first Boris Bidjan Saberi show and I had to run up the street towards the Maison des Métallos, my cape billowing behind me. I nee > read more

Bernhard Willhelm AW 2011

Published on 2011-01-25 11:56:00

Bernhard Willhelm's latest fashion show/presentation/installation/piece of performance art was held in the fantastic location of the Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild, a fabulous 19th Century building in the 8th. But it was the cavernous basement sp > read more

Henrik Vibskov AW 2011 - The Eat

Published on 2011-01-25 06:31:00

Henrik Vibskov's shows are always two things: larger than life productions, and late. This season it was very, very late indeed. There were certainly some tired fashionista feet after we had to stand for 45 minutes on a flight of stairs i > read more

Miharayasuhiro - The golden boy of 2011

Published on 2011-01-24 17:29:00

The Miharayasuhiro show was quite possibly my favourite out of all I saw in Paris this season, which is saying something given that I only discovered Mihara's brand last year (embarrassingly, he has been showing menswear in Europe since 2004). It wa > read more

Cerruti AW 2011

Published on 2011-01-24 16:26:00

The Italian fashion house of Cerruti has a chequered past – it began life as a 19th Century woollen mill and textile firm, but under the creative direction of Nino Cerruti it grew over the course of the 20th Century into a large business producing > read more

Off to gay Pareeee

Published on 2011-01-20 10:24:00

Well, I'm off on my way to Paris now to catch the end of menswear week, and hopefully have a little bit of a break in between too... But you haven't heard the last of me :-) Now armed with Christmas present iPad and trusty iPhone (assuming > read more

Emporio Armani AW 2011

Published on 2011-01-18 09:31:00

I don't know what's got into Giorgio these days, but I like it! I was glad to see a bit of spice in the Emporio Armani collection for Spring, and now it seems this has filtered into the Autumn line too, albeit a touch watered down (we shall qui > read more

Marni AW 2011

Published on 2011-01-18 05:14:00

Consuelo Castiglioni's brand Marni is one whose collections, in my opinion, almost always end up a bit of a mish-mash of ideas. It's like she can't quite bring herself to edit down all her references to one or two 'looks'. I usually find > read more

Snufkin by Missoni

Published on 2011-01-17 16:11:00

Missoni isn't exactly my favourite brand, but this season I am COMPLETELY IN LOVE WITH THEIR STYLIST - do we think he/she deliberately styled all the models to look like Snufkin, one of Moomin's friends in Tove Jansson's novels?? It seems like > read more

Burberry Prorsum AW 2011

Published on 2011-01-17 16:07:00

I'm afraid I'm one of those Brits who was raised to believe wearing Burberry is infra dig, given it's chavtastic associations. Even now during the reign of Christopher Bailey I feel slightly ill at ease inside a Burberry store, and I make sure > read more

(capsule)

Published on 2011-01-17 05:00:00

(capsule) is a great multi-brand tradeshow held several times a year in France and America, and I'll definitely be dropping by this week in Paris to check out brands I like such as Filippa K, Nörsea Industries and Soulland. Hopefully I'm going > read more

Jil Sander AW 2011

Published on 2011-01-16 15:36:00

Raf Simons continued his use of colour (see his both his last menswear and womenswear collections) at Jil Sander this weekend, shifting the palette from pulsating neons to more autumnal, yet vibrant, hues. Outfits came colour-blocked - layer up > read more

Costume National AW 2011

Published on 2011-01-16 07:21:00

Costume National, as designed by Ennio Capasa, was an instant hit with me for two reasons - the pullovers and the jackets/coats. Those clingy-yet-still-slouchy mohair knits looked good on their own or slipped under a suit jacket and came in the > read more

Trussardi 1911 anniversary collection

Published on 2011-01-16 06:45:00

Fashion week has officially begun with the men's shows in Milan and I am starting to get very excited about going to Paris at the end of this week :-) Usually I'm not too focused on what's happening in Milano since the brands there are quite co > read more

Asher Levine

Published on 2011-01-14 05:10:00

So I still have a few photos left knocking around on my computer from last year's press days which I really must blog about. That's not to say these are the dregs of the bottle, but more that the excitement of Christmas and New Year took over a > read more

A lesson in Fall dressing

Published on 2011-01-13 13:01:00

It's January. It's a new year. Spring and Summer are just around the corner and we're all desperate to get our shorts on and escape the wintry nightmare that the UK has become. So what collections are we "fashion people" getting exc > read more

Spring/Summer menswear trends: Part II

Published on 2011-01-12 04:12:00

My previous menswear post focused on specific design trends,but here I have collated the colour ways I will be filling my wardrobe with this season. As usual, I keep the emphasis on black, but there are some surprising highlights for Spring, in > read more

Spring/Summer menswear trends: Part I

Published on 2011-01-11 04:46:00

When it came to womenswear for Spring/Summer, I simply collated all the looks I am enjoying and ordered them roughly by colour. But for menswear, since I wear it myself, I preferred to group the outfits broadly by the styles I'm excited by - wh > read more

Stream of consciousness

Published on 2011-01-10 15:23:00

So I haven't quite figured it all out yet, but I am now happy to announce I am the proud new owner of a Tumblr account. You can find me at Anastasia-Duck.tumblr.com where I guess you'll see whatever really pops into my mind at any time of the day or > read more

Encens Magazine

Published on 2011-01-10 15:07:00

I love this video of Encens magazine Susie Bubble posted on her blog ages ago, but I just came across it this evening. Definitely slow Duck tonight! How 80s/90s do they manage to make current designers like Damir Doma look?! Now if only I could get m > read more

Anna Dello Russo - The Scent

Published on 2011-01-06 17:21:00

Anna Dello Russo is many things to many people. She is the Editor-at-Large (aka the André Leon-Talley) of Japanese Vogue. She is a walking runway clotheshorse. She is a street-style blogger's icon. She is herself a prolific f > read more

J'adr Pareee

Published on 2011-01-05 15:28:00

It's that time of year again - the fashion months are approaching and the menswear weeks are almost on top of us right now! As usual I am behind with my ticket requests (although for Paris this is more to do with their unwillingness to release the of > read more

New Year in close-up

Published on 2011-01-05 03:30:00

I celebrated Hogmanay (look it up) at Ruth's house last week and found this another perfect opportunity to practise my black and white photography. There's something about parties and wine which really loosens people up for impromptu photoshoot > read more

A winter's scene

Published on 2011-01-04 11:12:00

Pollok Park is right next to my house in Glasgow - the perfect place to enjoy the last of the snow before it all melted away... ...and the best place to spot Highland cattle, all of which are called "Norman" in my world. I'm heading back to Ox > read more

Looks I Like SS2011 Part IV: Prints

Published on 2011-01-01 15:52:00

I finish my round-up of my favourite SS2011 looks with that difficult customer - the print. Prints are so individual and different ideas can lead to sartorial wonders or utter disasters depending on the designer in question, which is why I don't rea > read more

Barn owls need friends

Published on 2011-01-01 10:54:00

This was possibly one of the sweetest Christmas presents I received this year from lovely Hugh. So when you are all spending your dosh in the January sales, maybe think about spending a little sum helping out a poor, injured owl? I know Anastasia a > read more

Looks I Like SS2011 Part III : Colour

Published on 2010-12-31 12:04:00

Continuing with my favourite picks for 2011 I have moved past the blacks and whites which make up my wardrobe staples and hit the colour palettes hard. Spring/Summer is, I guess, the obvious season to be indulging in bright colours but it's not > read more