Pixie Lott for Lipsy

The latest celebrity designer range will be by Pixie Lott for trendy fashion retailer Lipsy. The popstar who has been nominated for a Brit award will co-design two exclusive lines for Lipsy for Spring/ Summer and Autumn/ Winter. The 'Pixie Festival' line will feature bleached denim and jersey maxi dresses inspired by festival wear and the 'Pixie Party' line will include animal prints, chiffon dresses and studded vest dresses. Both will launch in April.

As well as her music, Pixie Lott is well known for her style which is trendy and fresh. She frequently wears pieces like sequin hot pants, feminine dresses and blazers.

Shop Lipsy.co.uk

Image Credits : Pixie Lott picture (top) http://www.girliegossip.com/

Is Grey the New Blonde?

As Kate Moss launched her new handbag collection for Longchamps, the talk was less about arm candy and more about her grey hair. The Super Model, was quite obviously sporting some grey coloured streaks in her hair but was it on purpose or has she had a dreadful disaster at the hairdressers?

Grey hair was seen on the Couture catwalks at both Chanel and Dior but is this look likely to take off considering that most of us live in fear of developing a single grey hair? For anyone over the age of 25, grey hair is perhaps a bit too close to the truth to be desirable. For the very young, who quite obviously have not got real grey hair then I suppose anything goes in a kind of funny fashionable way. One thing is for sure if anyone can make grey hair a trend, it is definitely Kate Moss and who knows years from now, we may all be growing old gracefully without a bottle of hair dye in sight.

Image credit - http://www.gawker.com/

2010 - A new generation of IT bags

The Alexa is hot. The Gloucester bag is set to be huge upon release. So could this be the beginning of a new type of IT bag, hot for 2010? 

Despite the recession it most certainly seems IT bags are making a slow but recognisable come back.   The term ‘IT bag’ came about in the early 90’s, after a huge growth in popularity of designer handbags seemed to occur. 
 

I decided to look a bit more into the history of the IT bag, and understand how something which was once a mere necessity of daily life for women became a must have statement piece needed to complete any outfit. It seems that the Sac à Depeche’s, launched by Hermes in the 1930’s (later renamed the Kelly after Grace Kelly, as she reportedly had such an affiliation with the piece) was a big turning point for handbags. 

One of the first bags (or for that matter first piece of any kind) to be named after a celebrity,  it seems this moment in fashion history could have arguably sparked the ever growing relationship between the celebrity  and the designer.  Today collaborations between designers and celebrities is big business in fashion. IT bags have also since experienced a lifelong love affair with fashion since Grace Kelly’s fashion moment. 

Fast forward to the 1950’s, when Coco Chanel apparently became tired of constantly holding her bag on her arm, claiming she felt “that the modern women needed a bag which freed their arms at social functions”.

As a result of her frustrations Chanel decided to design something all together more practical for such events, a handbag with a double chain shoulder strap that sat on ones shoulder, allowing one to have free hands at all times.  Otherwise known as the ever adored Chanel 2.55 classic. Genius.  

Then there was the new generation of consumerism in the 80’s, and the birth of power dressing, which created another type of handbag altogether, the Birkin.  The Birkin (which is to date one of Hermes most popular selling bags) was apparently inspired by Jane Birkin, a British Actress in the 60’s. This handbag rocketed in popularity in such a small space of time that a new niche of hand bags, was born. Taking the handbag from everyday domestic necessity, to an essential statement piece of any modern womans wardrobe, the handbag has never looked back since.

  

Now after two long years of recession, after women have begun to say no to consumerism and yes to modesty. Statement bags have been out of the limelight for a couple of frugal fashioned years.  But it seems this year as we are “out of recession” (just) all that is set to change.

This year we have the IT bag of the moment, the Alexa. Based on fashions favourite muse of the moment the Alexa is a modern take on the leather satchel, designed by Mulberry.  A twist on the Bayswater classic the bag comes in an array of colours (although for me tan is definitely the way to go), and has both a long leather strap which sits on your shoulder and two smaller straps which allow you to wear it on your arm. Highly versatile, extremely killer it seems this bag is the must have piece of SS10.

Then we have a collection of bags designed by Miss Kate Moss herself for Longchamp.  The collection which is on sale in February 2010, includes the Gloucester (which has been described as Moss’s homage to the Birkin) which is bound to be big this season. 

The collection also includes the Glastonbury, a soft slouchy leather bag based on Moss’s favourite festival which I’m sure will be the bag to be festivalling in this summer.

Then we have Vivienne Westwood’s heart bag, which considering valentines is fast approaching, could be a big hit. I certainly adore the red version, and at £210.00 it’s certainly a bit more affordable than some of its peers.

Another trend worth mentioning is this seasons Prada bag, which encapsulates the SS10 tribal/print trend. Rather vulgar in a beautiful way, if you like your bags loud and garish this is the bag for you. A word of warning though try not to overdo your outfit combination with it, the bag itself speaks volumes. 

So it seems after a few years of rejection the IT bag could finally be back in business, (but really did it ever really and truly go anywhere??!) If you confused on what bag to pick but are considering investing then do consider the Chanel 2.55. 

It’s expensive sure, but my Mother still has hers (more like mine these days) from the 80’s and it is as ever completely timeless. With over 20 years of wear, that must give the bag a lower CPW (cost per wear darling) factor than the shoes I brought from Primark last week. Bargain!


Images

1 -  Grace Kelly with her 'Kelly' - Choose Handbag
2 -  The Chanel 2.55 Classic -  All Womens Talk
3 -  The Birkin - The Bag Snob
4 -  The Alexa -  The Bag Bible
5 -  The Gloucester -  The Bag Snob
6 -  The Glastonbury - The Daily Mail
7 -  Chancery Heart Bag - Vivienne Westwood Online
8 -  Prada Print Roll bags -  Purse Blog

Luella Inspired Cut Out Heart Dresses

If you can wipe away your tears for a moment and stop lamenting over the loss of the Luella brand and its amazingly cute and pretty dresses, you might be interested to see some of the very affordable dresses on offer inspired by her sweet heart cut out dresses from her SS10 collection. Just in time for Valentines Day, these dresses are great women's summer fashion and the perfect outfit for a night out with that special someone.

Paige Heart Cut Out Dress

Tala Cut Out Heart Prom Dress

White Heart Cut Out Prom Dress (also available in black and red)

Cora Cut Out Heart Puffball Dress

Kitty Polka Dot Heart Cut Out Dress

Refashioned, Recycled and Reworked Clothes - Truly Unique

Eco fashion is one of the hottest subjects in the fashion industry at the moment with London Fashion week having its own section Estethica dedicated to eco and ethical fashion. But amongst all of those different amazing and highly sustainable eco fibres, there is not one that can compete in terms of eco credentials with just plain old recycling of clothes. Clothes that have already been manufatured have already stamped their carbon footprint on the environment and so reusing them again has little further impact. Designers are picking up on the fact that the future of the fashion industry is sustainable but many of the new labels and designers recycling, refashioning and reworking old clothes into new are about so much more than just their eco credentials. 

Designers are emerging on both the large and small scale with Etsy being a great place for those handmaking recycled pieces to showcase and sell their work. Flickr actually has its own group dedicated to sustainable style and recyled fashion called Trashionista with in excess of 1800 members, where makers of recyled fashion can upload photographs of their work. DIY refashioning of clothes is also becoming hugely popular with it being a much easier option than making clothes from scratch but a great way for someone to take the parts of the piece of clothing that they love and change the rest to exactly as they want. Sites like Threadbanger are leading the way in providing inspiration and DIY tutorials for home refashioners.   Wardrobe Refashion is a blog where participants pledge to abstain from the purchase of new manufactured clothing for the period of 2, 4, 6 months or LIFE. They pledge to refashion, renovate, and recycle preloved items with their own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium or make their own from scratch. The blog is proving very popular and gets 20 -30 new posts per week and 65,000 page views per month.

One of the first labels to start recycling clothes in this way in the UK was Junky Styling, founded by Annika Sanders and Kerry Seager, who started making clothes for themselves to wear clubbing in the early nineties. The clothes recieved so many compliments that they decided to set up a business. They sourced traditional suits from second hand shops, charity shops and jumble sales and reconstructed them into twisted garments. All of the clothes made by junky styling are completely original and they even offer a 'wardrobe surgery' service where customers can take their old clothes to be restyled have an input into the design process.

Another label that uses recyled fabrics is si:su, they use  variety of luxurious fabrics including silks, satins and cottons detailed with vintage ribbons and lace. The clothes are made using 100% recycled materials right down to the buttons and even the thread. Each piece is unique and has a nostalgic feel but with a contemporary edge. Perhaps this is part of the attraction of refashioned clothes, they keep the best bits which remind us of past fashions and bygone days but adapt the styles to suit people of today. They also appeal to those who have their own individual style rather than conforming to trends. As almost all refashioned pieces are one offs, you would be very unlikely to see anyone out and about wearing the same clothes, they are truly unique.

The beautiful and innovative designs must some how be inspired by the pieces of second hand clothing that the designer has to work with, giving them a very different creative process to a brand new piece of clothing designed with very little limitations in terms of types of fabric and cuts. If the majority of these new up and coming eco labels are anything to go buy then this process only adds to the innovative and beautiful nature of the finished piece.

TRAIDRemade was set up directly in response to the problem of excessive clothes waste going into landfill. They produce very wearable and affordable pieces made from textiles donated to TRAID and refashioned in their workshops in Brighton. The clothes are sold at their flagship store in Camden bringing refashioned clothes to the market at prices almost anyone could afford.

Picture credits

Sock Garter made from recycled / thrifted leather and elastic by SwanDiamondrose http://www.flickr.com/photos/barbietron/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

picture from the Junky Styling book launch party http://www.junkystyling.co.uk/news/

Handmade puffball dress and remade leather bag http://www.traid.org.uk/remade.html

 

Temporary Tattoos

Tattoos are no longer just a form of decoration for Hell's Angels and sailors in recent years, they have become quite mainstream with celebrities including Angelina Jolie with a tattoo for the co ordinates of the origins of each of her adopted children on her arm, Joss Stone with a flower behind her ear, Victoria Beckham's five stars on her back and even Helen Mirren's tiny tattoo on her hand. It seems like almost every celebrity has a tattoo but now they are also big news on the catwalks. At the SS10  shows, both Rodarte and Chanel accessorised their collections with Tattoos (I assume of the temporary variety).

At Chanel, delicate logo's on chains on the legs of models made an interesting change to jewellery.

At Rodarte, solid black designs on the arms accompanied tribal style dresses.

With tattoo being so permanent and fashions changing so fast, we love the idea of temporary tattoos that can be changed to suit your mood and outfit. No pain and no committment.

These nylon sleeves from Urban Outfitters are a great way to get a tattoo just for the day. I wonder whether they would also fit on the legs for an unusual alternative to tights.

catwalk pictures from http://www.style.com/

Tea with...

For the first of our Tea with Q&A sessions, the Fashion Buzz will be interviewing Zoe Burrows, junior designer for ASOS. Known for her quirky designs and unusual style, she is currently focusing on a swimwear collection for SS10 (which apparently Hilary Alexander was a fan at the ASOS SS10 press day).

 Currently residing in Brixton because “it’s everything she loves about London rolled into one”. When she’s not designing she can generally be found whipping up a sweet treat, or roaming around one of south London’s various vintage fairs.

What Trend will you be mostly wearing this summer?

I don’t like to follow the crowd and I don’t really follow trends. I can often be found in vintage haunts and boot sales so most likely one of my new thrifty purchases. I like unusual colours and patterns.

If you could only keep 5 items of clothing from your wardrobe, what would they be??

Well I couldn’t live without my Red skinny belt which I picked up on one of my vintage hunts, and as I live in them I would also have to keep my Vivienne Westwood strappy shoes (which are deceivingly comfortable). I would also save my high waisted black pencil skirt as it’s highly versatile. My fourth item would be one of my many vintage 1940’s white blouses, and my fifth item (simply because I couldn’t live without them) would be my Vivienne of Holloway swing trousers.

If money or location was no object where would you be visiting on your next shopping trip??

My first port of call would have to be the amazing snoopers’ paradise in Brighton. Full of unusual treats and items, I try and head down to the sea front whenever the opportunity arises. My second store would be the thrift stores in Miami, the place where I have picked up some of my favourite vintage pieces (including a Chanel shopper). That would probably be it. My affliction to online shopping has made me lazier in my recent shopping pursuits.

What inspired you to be a designer?

I remember watching the television when I was younger and seeing Liz Hurley in ‘that’ safety pin dress. Although I don’t personally like the piece and I wouldn’t personally wear it, it was a really important turning point in fashion and I think even in my younger years I could sense it.

Sparking a strong relationship between designers and celebrities, that whole culture changed the way we shopped, which paved the way for stores like ASOS (as seen on screen).

What is your favourite clothing era??

My heart belongs to the 40’s/50’s, and when I’m feeling more fun and youthful I like to experiment with 60’s attire.

Whereabouts are you residing these days??

I live in Brixton south London. I have always lived south of the river, but I recently moved to Brixton as I felt there was something unusually vibrant about Brixton. Its Colourful, friendly and dynamic, I love it!

What was the last Item of clothing you brought??

I recently invested in the leopard print Agent Provocateur body suit which was featured in their 2008 ‘season of the witch’ collection.

I really like it because it’s pretty timeless, and the built in corset is incredibly flattering, I usually don mine with a classic black pencil skirt for the ultimate effect.

What do you currently have your eye on?

I intend to bump up my approaching summer wardrobe with lots of pieces from the eBay store Violetville vintage.  For one off, usual pieces this site is perfect. Full of true vintage finds, I often visit it for a bout of retail therapy.

What can we expect from you SS10 swim collection?

My swim wear collection will consist of lots of exciting, unusual shapes. This season I will be mostly using cut outs designs and studding to enhance the glamour aspect, whilst the pieces will also be heavily inspired by the body con/power mesh designs which are big this summer. Finally to add my own unique touch to the collection I have also added a few modern ethnic prints, and a touch of embellishment to the collection.

Zoe’s ASOS swimwear collection will be out early Spring, in case you forget we at the Fashion Buzz will be sure to cover it nearer to the time, fret not!


Images:

1 - Picture of designer Zoe Burrows - Designers own

2 - Liz Hurley Safety Pin dress - The Mirror Newspaper -

http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/oct2008/7/9/E5B287E7-9255-2E50-A5A5F7AA8610FCC5.jpg

3 - Daisy Lowe for Agent Provocateur - Now Magazine -

http://www.nowmagazine.co.uk/gallery/star-style/7819/1/5/daisy-lowe-and-peaches-geldof-star-in-agent-provocateur-shoot-season-of-the-witch/1/

Sarah Jessica Parker at Halston Heritage

If you love Sex and the City and Carrie Bradshaw, then you are probably going to be well chuffed that you will now how the chance to buy your own piece of SATC fashion in the form of a piece of clothing from Halston Heritage. It kind of makes sense for Sarah Jessica Parker to collaborate with the brand after she brough attention to the  label by wearing 2 different dresses in SATC.

SJP is making a significant commitment to the partnership as she becomes president and chief creative officer. Halston Heritage, the less expensive little sister of the cult seventies brand Halston which was relaunched in 2008 but is yet to see a revival of its former glory in its heyday of the disco era. Last year, Halston signed Marios Schwab as Creative Director and this next appointment aims to boost their profile even more.

This is a great move on the part of Halston as there is no doubt about it SJP definitely packs a punch when it comes to influencing fashion.

picture credit blog.zap2it.com/.../2008/06/sarah-jessica-p.html

Nineties Revival

With the opening of the Selfridges Nineties pop up concept store last week, the first of a series of nineties inspired events at the department store, the nineties have been officially declared as vintage. Quite a scary prospect for those of us who remember them well and perhaps have a few items of clothing from them languishing in the back of our wardrobes. The Selfridges pop store is an edit of original Nineties and Nineties-inspired products from across the spheres of fashion, accessories, lifestyle, beauty, design, music, media and film. The celebration included ‘vintage’ nineties designer clothing by the likes of Jean Paul Gautier and Vivienne Westwood, suggesting that this stuff is now officially considered old enough to be trendy again. Meanwhile many of us are bracing ourselves for a full scale nineties revival, as those styles that have been rumbling on for a while push their way into mainstream fashion.

Grunge Girl fashion - Alexander Wang SS09 - picture from http://www.style.com/

We have done the eighties, the seventies and the sixties several times over, so it would seem quite logical that now should be the turn of the nineties. Alexander Wang’s cool and laid back collections contain more than a passing resemblance to some of the trends of the nineties and with his uber cool designer status, he could well be like the pied piper leading us head on in to a full scale revival. So for those that remember, what was so great about fashion in the nineties?

Kurt Cobain of Nirvana - picture from www.kidzworld.com

Well there was grunge, of course and Brit pop and Girl power but actually there was quite a bit more to the nineties. As we emerged from the power dressing eighties with those power suit and big, bold and bright accessories, the nineties became time for a much more relaxed and understated look. We probably don’t remember that much about the fashion in the nineties (if we were even old enough to remember it) because it was a kind of minimalist look that was dubbed as ‘anti fashion’. Casual and comfort were highly important in the nineties with sportswear and jeans featuring heavily. Although the jeans were plainer and stone washed in style as opposed to the acid washes of the eighties. Some of the most popular fashions included the combat trousers, long maxi style skirts, cat suits, slip dresses and flannel shirts (inspired by Kurt Cobain and Nirvana).

For those of us who find bright colours difficult to wear and instead like to comfort ourselves with clothes in a variety of blacks, greys and browns, a nineties revival is nothing short of a godsend. The nineties were pretty neutral and dark in terms of colours with (apart from the whole rave thing) just a few pops of colour starting to emerge towards the end of the decade in the form of the pashmina , a trend which for many has never really gone away. For all it toned down colours, the nineties was very much about branding. Designer shoes and handbags were big news with everyone wanting a pair of Jimmy Choo's or Louboutin's, this trend is only just starting to recede (if it has at all) in the last few years and so is unlikely to be ready for a comeback just yet.

Topshop Lookbook SS10

If you are looking for good solid evidence that the nineties revival is on its way you only need to take a look at the likes of Topshop and Urban Outfitters, both up there when it comes to picking up the new trends fast. Both are packed with floral, dresses and jeans and great big boots. Do you remember the floral dresses, opaque tights and Doc Martens? expect to see lots more of this over the coming months. Dr Martins have even got a newer line of floral print boots. With Uniqlo launching the +J collection designed by Jil Sander whose clean minimalist lines were what the nineties were all about in terms of tailoring, the minimalist look is definitely on its way back, if it ever even went away.

Whistles at Missoni - picture from http://www.style.com/

Khaki was a big colour of the nineties and for SS10, the catwalks were packed with it. The nineties were also visible in so many ways from the rave whistles at Missoni (oh now they bring back some memories) to the kitten heels of Louis Vuitton and layering just about everywhere. Jean Paul Gautier has even relaunched his cone bra as worn by Madonna.

picture from http://www.bbc.co.uk/

We couldn’t really let a fashion discussion about the eighties go by without a mention of Azzedine Alaia, Tunisian born, Paris based designer who was not a big household name but had a significant influence on the fashions of the nineties with bodycon dresses which are still being imitated to this day. And of course Marc Jacobs had a big influence on the  grunge trend.

The great thing about the nineties (or any revival) is that we have had adequate time to reflect on and recognise those hideous crimes of fashion. We can now go back and cherry pick the best of it and update it a bit to suit how we feel right now. Bring it on!

Knee Highs or Ankle High?

At Burberry Prorsum

Glancing through pictures of the catwalk shows for SS10, one thing that strikes me over and over again is the knee high and ankle socks. They are every where for the spring and summer. Worn with boots, strappy sandals, shorts, dresses and jumpsuits, socks are a great way to update any outfit for spring or summer this year.

At Alexander Wang

Ruched down socks are worn with hiking boots adding a utiltaran edge to a feminine floral dress. Cool pastel and beige shades in chiffon were dressed down with ribbed ankle socks and strappy plaform sandals at Burberry Prorsum. At Meadham Kirchoff black brogues were woen with masculine black ankle socks in a look that contrasted the pretty dresses and skirts. At Dior sheer ankle socks accompanied the underwear inspired collection. Possibly the most noticeable sock of all the collections were at Alexander Wang, where the cropped tops, shorts and signature understated cool was accented with knee socks cut out to reveal the back of the calf.

At Dior

Adding socks to an outfit whether they be knee high or ankle give it a stylish edge. Perhaps it is the cute school girliness of them or the way a pair of thick socks gives the outfit that rough. A great way to contrast something frilly and feminine to give a look that suggests one hasn't tried too hard.

Whether you choose knee highs or ankle varieties, we strongly suggest that you get your socks on this summer.

Loving these Love Anklet socks by Faulke and pinstriped knee highs, both from Tights Please.

Catwalk pictures from http://www.style.com/

Say Goodbye to Your Beer Belly

With it being new year and all that, many of us make a resolution or two perhaps to get a bit more exercise, drink a little less beer or reduce the beer belly, just a little. By the first week after New Year, most of us have given up on our resolutions, not find the time to go to the gym and perhaps got over those post Christmas blues by comforting ourselves with just a little bit too much food and drink - sound familiar?

Not to worry. Women have been cheating the system for years with shapewear that smooths their silhouette and holds in their tummies for years. Now Marks and Spencers have launched shapewear for men, a range of Bodymax vests with enginneered seams and a hidden support panel which flattens the torso. The claim is that the vests can reduce the measurements on some bodyshapes by up to one and a half inches.

This might seem like an ambitious claim but before you dismiss this as just another gimmick, I would suggest that you check out some of the feedback on the Bodymax products on the M & S website which suggest that actually whilst a bit of hassle these vests do lose inches and improve posture.

If you are body concious, then I think these vests could be well worth a try, at least until you can find the time to make it down the gym.

Working the day shift (dress)

The shift is one of the most celebrated classic wardrobe staples, celebrated for it's versatility and timeless appeal. It has never really gone out of fashion but recently it has been popping up every where from the basic shift, which works perfectly when teamed with court shoes for the office, to the embellished shift for the evening. Christopher Kane amongst other designers has repopularised the shift with his velvet and chiffon version for AW09 but almost every season sees a designer with a different and new take on the shift.

The beauty of the shift is its simple and flattering shape that can be accessoried in so many different ways. Try adding a brightly coloured cropped cardigan, some brightly coloured or patterned opaque tights and some ankle boots for a colourful and updated look for an old shift. Dress it down for a more casual look with leggings and a leather jacket. You can even layer with a long sleeved top or body for a warmer outfit. If you are looking for a highly practical and wearable statement day dress to get you noticed at work you can look no further than a patterned shift dress which is available in just about everything from polka dots to florals to animal prints this spring.

Work that sixties vibe in this orange colour block dress

This draped black shift by designer Betty Jackson is the ultimate in elegance.

The green poppy shift dress is so this season. Combine with a stripey cardigan for a great take on the current pattern mismatching trend.

This scoop neck crepe shift is a great alternative to the ubiquitous black shift. Team with black for work or pretty pinks, greens and purples for the weekend.

Create  a romantic look with this lace finished satin pintuck dress by teaming with a cosy pink cardigan and black opaques.

Shop the shift dress or flower print dresses

Laptop handbags - Are oversized bags a pain in the neck?

Our laptops are so precious to us, we can't do without them for a second, so we carry them in our handbags. What a great idea! The Laptop handbag has become a phenomena every since the Hermes Birkin and other oversized handbags became popular allowing us the chance to carry however much we like in our handbags.

Whilst we have slowly become accustomed to carrying heavier and heavier handbags packed with all sorts of essentials including our laptop, complaints of back, shoulder, neck and joint pain (and even handbag induced headaches) are on the up. Doctors and Chiropracters warn that we should not carry a handbag that weights more than 10% of our body weight, but some of us are carrying around weight comparable to that carried by a hod carrier!

The latest way to carry a heavy laptop handbag is on wheels. One of the most stylish versions, the newly patented design by Tiffany Anisette is a luxurious designer leather bag that can be used as a handbag, laptop bag, weekender bag or even baby changing bag - you choose.

So Katie Holmes, Posh and the rest of you celebs, you can keep your Birkins and Birkin Elbows (the term coined for the nasty elbow injury caused by carrying a heavy bag over your forearm/ elbow), I shall be elegantly wheeling my laptop handbag on wheels packed with whatever I choose.

Designer Dresses for Hire

Borrowing beautiful dresses is common practice for celebrities and hiring expensive designer handbags has been possible for  quite a while now on sites like Fashion Hire and Handbag Hire HQ, but now it is possible to borrow (at a price of course) expensive designer dresses. Dresseduptothe9s.com is a new website that not only allows you to hire a dress of your choice but also allows you  to put your own designer collection up for hire.

Featuring dresses from the likes of Valentino, Givenchy, Herve Leger, Lanvin and Ungaro Emmanuel, this website is the answer to your dress dilemmas for that very special occasion. For those that feel they just can't get enough wear out of their designer dresses to justify the expensive price tag, dresseduptothe9s.com offers the chance to recoup some of the cost.

Price start at just £35 for seven days and you can search by your favourite designer, size and occasion dates. After wearing the dress, you will need to get it dry cleaned and ensure that it is returned in tip top condition. Just a word of warning, if you are prone to outrageously drunken nights out, you will be held financially liable for the cost of any damage to the dress (potentially the whole value of the dress).

Hiring dresses seems like a great option for those who need lots of different dresses for different occasions. It costs a fraction of the price of buying one new and gives you the chance to try out beautiful dresses that you might not usually get the chance to wear. I have got my eye on this red Diane Von Furstenburg number for Valentines Day.

Designer high street collaborations – Hip or Hype?

Just lately there are more designer collaborations on the high street than you can shake a stick at. I can’t even count how many of them were launched last year, but some were far more memorable than others. The marketing types in the big fashion retailers have obviously recognised the power of the designer names for shifting clothes but are these collections any better than the retailers standard offerings or are they just marketing hype?

As with almost everything in life, it is worth considering these collections on a case by case basis. They vary enormously in terms of quality, price and demonstration of the designer’s signature style. Whilst some of the collections are one offs targeted at producing maximum publicity for a retailer, there are some ongoing designer high street collaborations which are proving that they can stand the test of time. The truth of the matter is that I have no idea whether all, some or none of these collections are actually designed by the designers, but I am guessing they must have at least some degree of creative input however small.

For many people this new breed of high street clothing may represent the only chance they will ever have of wearing clothes by their favourite designers. It goes without saying that they will not be as good as the real designer collections after all you get what you pay for. The higher quality materials and workmanship used in the real designer collection may well be substituted for cheaper synthetic materials and labour. But there are plenty that won’t let this stand in the way of getting the designer look.

Some of the collections have been particularly notable both in their hype and their desirability. Some of the H and M collaborations which include Karl Lagerfield, Stella McCartney, Matthew Williamson and Jimmy Choo (to name but a few) have been surrounded by massive hype leading to the pieces selling out in no time at all. EBay is full of these collections where the limited stock and designer association has upped their value and saleability making everyone feel like they must have a piece of the action. The latest range of underwear by Sonia Rykiel was launched with a preview to 2000 guests featuring model Lily Cole on an extravagant horse themed set (pictured above).

Topshop has had a steady stream of designer collections which true to their branding being up and coming innovative British designers of the moment. They fit well amongst the other fashion forward pieces that they sell and are perfect for the young and very fashionable.

In contrast the new Jil Sander range at Uniqlo is about quality basics and key pieces that won’t go out of fashion and will last for many seasons to come. It was really nice to see the +J range of coats made from 100% wool and at an incredibly decent price. Whilst these pieces have the simple and contemporary Jil Sander aesthetic down to a T, this collection is about more than just the designer. It qualifies as a great line of high quality basics in it’s own right. I think this collection is likely to draw in many more than the designer addicts who just want to buy the name.

There are some other more slow burning collections which consistently provide very affordable pieces which offer a taste of the designers style like the Giles Deacon Gold for New Look and the range of collaborations at Debenhams which includes Matthew Williamson, Julian McDonald and Ben De Lisi. These collections are ongoing so do not sell out with the ferocity that some of the one off collections do. This dress (pictured left) from the Ben De Lisi collection is a complex and stunning design made from silk shantung.

The varying success of the different high street collections may depend partly on what it is that makes the designer successful in the first place. A designer known for amazing prints or innovative designs will probably translate well into high street collaboration. A designer whose work is characterised by luxurious fabrics and high quality tailoring or draping probably won’t translate as well to the high street.

There is no doubt that these ranges help to build the retailers brands and establish them as leaders in the fashion forward stakes. My personal opinion is that they offer more choice and I am always up for more choice. I would buy pieces from collaborations by my favourite designers as long as they were not too much more expensive than the standard high street ranges and they were a reasonable quality. I would rather pass on the over priced, poorly made designer high street collaborations in favour of original pieces by less known and less expensive designers, the sales or second hand pieces by my favourite designer. It is really down to personal taste, I say if you like something and can afford it, then why not buy it, designer or not. I am holding out hope for a Luella collaboration, perhaps with OASIS or even Dorothy Perkins.

Picture Credits

Dress  - Christopher Kane at http://www.topshop.co.uk/

Launch of Sonia Rykiel underwear collaboration - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1232883/H-M-unveils-racy-new-lingerie-Sonia-Rykiel-designer-collaboration.html

Dress - Ben De Lisi at Debenhams