From Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980s

Hey guys!
I have to apologize for my absence but lots of things have happened since I moved back to uni and the course with its new projects is actually driving me crazy (but I love it so I am happy anyways! - such a workaholic!). Anyways I promised a post about the exhibition at the V&A's in London about the street styles and fashions of the 80s and here it is people! :)
Alright so first of all the exhibition is located on the first "level" of the museum, and it is the purple area highlighted in the map below.

There are plenty of interesting and amazingly executed garments to look at; being an 80s fashion exhibition, "Club to Catwalk" showcases over the top and exciting looks by the most experimental designers of the (crazy and amazing) decade, including Vivienne Westwood, Betty Jackson and John Galliano.

The exhibition is like a dreamy walk down memory lane, and everyone, even people born in the 90s, feels familiar to this decade - blame it on the music (which plays all over the rooms at the exhibition, bringing an explosion of vitality), the movies or the influences which the fashion of this decade has had on the following eras.
It all starts with the emerging theatricality in London fashion, so highly influenced by the birth and popularity of its clubs (i.e. Heaven, Taboo), going on to the vibrant imagination and creativity of a whole new generation of designers.

This outfit above reminds me very closely of the movie Metropolis (check it out here), where the female protagonist is turned into an evil robot by a crazy scientist.

Along the path inside the exhibition, there were some TV screens showing fashion shows (all original footage from the 1980s); I have to admit I've never seen 80s runway shows before and this was definitely a pleasant and interesting new thing! Forget about super skinny and all-look-alike models, forget about plain music and... think about loud club music, fancy (and happy) models dancing down the runway, crazy choreographies with models playing instruments and singing: imagine how cool would that be - and how cool it was!

If you're really interested in this exhibition or in the 80s in general and want to know more check out this video here , by CraneTVVideoMagazine.

So do you like the 1980s as a decade or do you think it was a bit too over the top? And if you've visited the exhibition, what is your opinion about it??

x, Val.

Hottest trends for this A/W 2013-2014

Being a fashion design student, it is my duty (and pleasure) to keep up to date with the latest fashion shows around the world. Right now New York Fashion Week is happening in the Big Apple, with amazing collections being presented to the press and public (my favourites for now are Alexander Wang, of course, Jonathan Simkhai, Yigal Azrouël, Delpozo, Threeasfour, Jill Stuart, Lyn Devon, L.A.M.B. and Robert Rodriguez), but the major concern right now is not the next Spring/Summer wardrobe, am I right?

The autumn is approaching way too fast, and I found myself wandering around my room looking for cardigans and jackets. 
Therefore I thought about writing a post to present the trends you're gonna be loving and wearing this autumn/winter: you might have already spotted them in the stores around your city, but what I wanted to do was handing out a "guide" on what's necessary for your 2013-2014 winter wardrobe.

From London, Paris, New York and Milan, here are the hottest trends for the seasons ahead.

Black is the new black.The timeless colour, the colour of mourning and elegance (little black dress, little black jacket), is officially "back". I personally love the colour because it always makes your outfit look very sharp and polished; as a consequence I literally adored Sportmax's collection, Erdem's collection, Viktor & Rolf detailing, Céline, Valentino, Givenchy, Balmain, the tailored suits of Dior's and classic polo necks at Ralph Lauren.
It feels like a breath of fresh air after the summer's neon trend (which I really liked at first and ended up hating in the end).

 

 CÉLINE A/W 2013

  

 SPORTMAX A/W 2013