Saturday 26 November 2011

Gold Leaf Launch Party

Its been the  most intense few weeks of my course so far! I have been lucky enough to be involved with a project with Gold Leaf, (an up-coming Design company in London) to design for  a live 'reunion' show   for Britain's next top model. The company combines a love of vintage luxury and mother nature's imperfections, which can be found across their clothing lines.  It was a very VERY intense week of designing and sewing and after the pressure of the time limit, I then had the stress of what to wear to a launch party!

The Launch Party was set in the 'Lounge Bar at McQueen in Shordich. Cocktails were drunk in the luxury setting and later  a catwalk of the designs were shown whilst Bluey Robinson gave a live performance! Overall it was a fun evening and three of my desinges were shown on the catwalk which was awsome!



My Designs for the Gold Leaf Project . chiffon blouse and leather shorts were shown on their catwalk
Chiffon shorts , Cropped top and loose silk Bat-wing Cropped top designs for Gold Leaf

 From Left to right: Charles Githinji, Natalie Walker and Henry James- the runners of Gold Leaf







 White Chiffon high-waisted shorts (Designed by Me Katharine Whiteside)



The Lounge Bar, Mcqueen Shorditch

Models in Designs  (model on far left is wearing a Black silk chiffon cropped blouse (Designed by me again!)

My Blouse

Give me a 'Singapore Sling' darling!
Bluey Robinson introduces the Catwalk!

And if your woundering what I wore, wellllll.......


I combined these beauties with....

Please excuse the awkward face and pose!



Sources.


http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.313431548683150.94828.271977929495179&type=3









Friday 25 November 2011

All i Want for Christmas

Its exactly a month today till Christmas ! AWHOOOHOOP! I bloddy love Christmas. Literally I love everything about it. Mince Pies, Mulled Wine,  Luxurious Fabrics of  Winter/Fall fashion, Roaring fires (ok maybe roaring central heating), fireworks, New Years, Presents, family, friends and just generally being ridiculously merry.


So, Because I started counting down to Christmas since the end of July, i've had plenty of time to comprise a 'Wish list' for Christmas.  However this year, the list is much shorter and much More specific than normal, but that dosn't make it any less important!




1) I am, seriously, desperately, eternally in-love with this Model's own 'Beetle Juice' nail polish collection (currently £20 as a whole set) , and even if I don't get it, I am buying it. My love for iridescent items are just too unbearably strong. In-fact, I will be re-incarnated as a beetle simply for this reason .



2) Alexander McQeen: Savage Beauty (Metropolitan Museum of art)


I have wanted this book sinse it came out, don't keep a woman waiting people!








Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (Metropolitan Museum of Art)












3) Another book I want is 'An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar' by Taryn Simon. I desperately want this and have for an unbearable 4 years. 



An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar

4) As a fashion student, of course I want clothing, shoes, hats, bags, scarves, jewlery, everything, but I'm rediculously fussy so unfortunately I'm just asking for the dollar to go on an absolute spree!!!


However I would love this item specifically if you are feeling generous please!



All Saints 

Eagle Dress

£295.00
(I should be so Lucky)


5) Ok so I know I just  said no-one can buy me clothes but CHECK OUT THESE MO FO BAD BOYS! I almost have a heart attack every-time I look at them they're so breathtakingly beautiful. I will defiantly try to marry you if you buy me anything by 'Irregular Choice'. I have drooled over every collection since I found them in 2007. I am begging. I am a size 6.



An example of the impossibly beautiful shoes
Poetic Licence Lady Victoria
Get on my foot.


sexy sexy shoe


Mayhem
Irregular Choice
'Mayhem'
£115.00 (whhhhyyyyyyyy!)






6) The film 'Last Days' 2005 . It documents Kurt cobains last days before  suicide. I told you before I am pretty obsessed...



and lastly...
7) A holiday . Preferably Borneo, I really like rain forests, but you know i'm not fussy. I'm sure a place like New York will do too. :)

Cotchin'




Nabil Nayal

This year my Uni has provided us with some really exciting talks from people such as Collin McDowel and Caryn Franklin ! All have been invaluable and interesting, and our recent one from the young upcoming designer Nabil Nayal kept up to the standard and was incredibly inspirational.


Graduating form Machester Met, he went on to win the Graduate fashion Week womenswear award in 2008. He continued his Ma at the Royal college of Art in Womenswear and was a finalist at Fashion Fringe 2011. He has worked for Duro Olowu, River island Burberry Prorsum and Lady GaGa appeared on French TV wearing his designs!


He kindly showed us some of his BA and MA work which was slightly intimidating to say the least! However he was very modest about his work and a true artist. Quirky illustrations were created through layering  and cut out pop up card along and digitally enhanced hand drawings which helped to capture the luxurious theme throughout his designs. He then gave each of us advice on our own work which again was intimidating after seeing his stunning work. However he was full of ideas and it was great to be in discussion with someone who is such a talent! I look forward to seeing his next collections in years time!




Below are some images form his s/s 12 look book . I love the pearly marble print used with muted tones and luxurious fabrics. This, combined with smooth lines, creates a modern, sophisticated twist on a baroque inspired theme,something that Nabil has always had a fascination for. 

NABIL-NAYAL

NABIL-NAYAL

NABIL-NAYAL




NABIL-NAYAL

Lady GaGa in one of his Designs!



Sources:

Check it out....
http://www.nabilelnayal.co.uk/

Loveboutin!

Ok, so i've been massively busy , deadlines are appearing left right and centre. However this hasn't stopped me from taking a cheeky trip to London on Wednesday night to the Victoria and Albert museum for an incredible talk from Christian Louboutin himself! As an avid fan of shoes, this was pretty much something that couldn't really be missed.


I arrived fashionably early, so wondered around  the V&A museum for a while to make up time.  It was a chilly night in London town, and with Christmas around the corner, an Ice Skating Rink had been set up at the Natural History museum, so I watched for a while until the talk ( if you have a chance, go because it was really pretty!). 


The Natural History Museum Ice Rink

Sculpture made form hangers by David Mach:  'Power of Making' Exhbibiton at the V&A : free edmission = GO



In celebration of his twenty years in fashion, Natalie Massenet  from Net-a-porta interviewed him in front of a vast lecture hall full of other slightly-too-obsessed-with-shoes fans.


Unfortunatly the coulouring is poor but without sounding lame, the ceiling of the lecture theatre was really interesting
Before the man himself arrived!
The man is very inspirational; he came from a very turbulent childhood (he got kicked out of three schools!) with little direction, although came from a loving family , surrounded by women. On November 21st 1987 Christian Louboutin opened his first store in Paris, which He did so practically on a whim! A shopkeeper he'd had been visiting to buy a lamp from, encouraged him to buy the store and sell his shoes. with  His long term love for shoes and show girls, it didn't take long to be persuaded into the idea.


He also told the story of how the famous 'red sole' of each of his shoes came about, when he painted a pro-to-type with an assistants red nail polish and the brand's notorious symbol was invented. at the end of the interview some quick fire questions were given; we found out his favourite colour was red, his favourite word was scollop and his biggest turn off were clogs!


After the talk, again unfortunately the picture quality is bad! sorry!


Throughout the interview, his wit, charm and enthusiastic character shone, and these qualities can often be seen through the flamboyant shoes he creates. Hopefully one day I will be able to afford them! 


Christian Louboutin was signing these books at the event. Unfortunately they cost £85 and that would mean no food for quite some time for me with a student budget!

Watch the interview here....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrVD6Yq60UA