'Making Connections' E/P Project

Wednesday, 14 May 2008

Why it worked

I think this project worked really well, however I think it would have been better to get to know a few more of the Parsons Students a bit better. I think generally a bit more structure to the program would improve the project. It was hard to fit everything into just one week also, I think if we'd had more time, we could have spent more time at Parsons and perhaps done some activities with the other students. However I think it was great to go to all the different shops, and have freedom in this respect as we got some great opportunities out of it, such as meeting Patricia Field and the Maxim shoot. I think it shows that there's always opportunities just around the corner in this city.

I enjoyed going to the museums, but again would have liked to have done more of them and had a little more cultural interaction.

I think generally more of a balance between roaming around NYC and structure would really improve the project.

It was a pleasure to be involved in the first one, and I sincerely hope future students get this opportunity.

Looking back...

Whilst in New York it was interesting to see that everything I had suspected about the fashion design was true, although it was shocking to see just how true it was. Capitalism and commercialism run rife in this city. The clothes are purely made to sell, and innovation and daring artistry are minimal. It was impressive to see the level of design was fit to go straight to the shops, and was amazing to see such finished products. The students at Parsons are truly talented. Yet it is just so, so different to fashion in London. Compared with polished, swish New York, we must look like a bunch of colour mis-matched lunatics.

I found this experience invaluable and it has given me another dimension to my fashion knowledge of New York. Although I had been there before, I found it great to be able to focus on the fashion rather than tourism. I feel like I've got to know New York a lot better now, and it has given me perspective on London as a fashion capital.

Wednesday, 30 April 2008

London's Hot Spots

For an eclectic shopping experience and people watching...Portabello Market

For vintage rummaging...Absolute Vintage and Beyond Retro in Shoreditch

Kooky jewellery...Butler and Wilson

Up-market window shopping ...the Kings Road

Purely amazing designer clothes...Dover Street Market

Good for shopping...Selfridges

Celebrity spotting...having their lunch at Harvey Nicks 5th Floor and The Ivy, and for dinner Nobu

Best cupcakes in the world...Hummingbird Bakery in Notting Hill

Markets...Spitalfields and Camden

Treasure hunting...Pandora's in Knightsbridge, second hand designer goodies

Amazing bar...Annex 3, the decor is well worth checking out

Just for the hell of it...TopShop on Oxford Street, you may find a fab pair of shoes or dress

An eclectic area, to soeak up the atmosphere...Brick Lane

Fun on a Sunday...the South Bank for pubs, and Covent Garden for shopping. (Its a nice walk over the bridge)

Sunday, 9 March 2008

Ready to wear to the extreme

New York evokes the old faithful's of Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, but what goes alongside these designers is simplicity, sensibility and most of all wearability.

This makes me think that the New York fashion industry is very highly consumer driven. 'Design collections that will sell' seems to be the way of thinking. Although Ralph Lauren's A/W 08 collection appears to be a little more ethnic inspired than usual, adopting Mauri-esque detail, and opting for bright orange and purple on heavy wool coats - it's still exceptionally wearable. Vera Wang shows more experimentation with her collection yet apparently an insider said, "That was couture... you should be showing in Paris." Which demonstrates how New York is being perceived in comparison to Paris.

I think it is a known fact that New York's tone of wearability is vital to everyday dress, and we couldn't survive without it, yet it doesn't, on the whole scream experimentation. In recent years it has become the done thing in London to be a little more out there with your choice in apparel, however New York seems to be safer. Opting for subtle lines the tone appears classic, demure and easy to get along with. I don't feel however that this really echoes what goes on sub culturally. I feel there is a creative explosion just waiting to pop out.

Does London have a face?

Following a debate the other day in class as to whether or not London had a fashion identity it was thought by some that we are too scatty over here, and that we have no iconic look. As Paris is famed for chic, New York for simplicity, and Italy for sexy, I agree it can be hard to extract some sort of identity. However I feel that it is this very enigma that bares our identity as a fashion capital.

We are all over the place, gritty, and unpolished, with cosmopolitan looks that don’t make much sense. But I feel London is a breeding ground for innovation. I feel this may well be down to the fact that it is so culturally diverse that inspiration is not hindered. We have so many things available that designer’s can pretty much get their hands on anything. What I love the most about this is that although London is predominantly grey being that it is a concrete jungle covered by overcast sky’s the neon colours worn by the fashion kids of London stand out a mile. It is this contrast that sets London apart. Everything is juxtaposed and chaotic and it works. It is our identity.

Introducing Me

Hello New York

I’m a third year Fashion Journalism student, born and raised in London. Before I went to study Fashion Journalism at university I worked in Fashion PR as a PA gaining first-hand experience of the industry, which was tough as I was thrown in at the deep end. I furthered my experience of London’s fashion industry by working at Look magazine – a weekly fashion magazine. Here I worked on the beauty department where I was in charge of calling in clothes for shoots, and new products to write about. I also assisted on photo shoots. After this I went back to working in Fashion PR for Impulse. This was mostly dealing with accessories, jewellery, handbags, watches, and teen clothing for the Arcadia group.I regularly write an online fashion news column for www.nano-mag.com. This publication is a showcase for those in the fashion and design industry. I recently did my first interview for nano on style director Mohieb Dahabieh who works closely with socialites such as Tamara Beckwith, Tara Palmer-Tomkinson and Ivana Trump. This interview will be printed in the upcoming issue of nano. I have also recently been appointed as their fashion editor. Over the course of my degree I have enjoyed interviewing and meeting up and coming designers, photographers and stylists. I find it inspirational to see what new talent has to offer the fashion world.

In the coming months approaching graduation I will be working on my portfolio and aiming to get a few solid pieces published. I very much enjoy feature writing and really getting involved in a subject that I’m covering. I hope, like most journalism students to walk into a regular writing job, but would be just as happy to be a freelance journalist so I could cover a broad range of subjects.

I look forward to getting to know all of you and your work.

Tuesday, 22 January 2008

Other E/P Project Members' Blogs

'Making Connections' E/P Project - Hannah Shakir