No worthy shopping trip to London is complete without a trip to the Liberty department store that is nestled so beautifully between the ever busy Regent Street and vibrant Carnaby Street. To say that Liberty is an institution on the British high street would be an outrageous understatement. The history of this iconic department store can be so deeply felt every single time I find myself lucky enough to steal a visit. The store itself was completed in 1924 and as is evident still today the design was strongly influenced by the resurgence of Tudor fashion back then. From the warm wooden interior (the timber used to construct the building actually came from two HMS warships), to the fireplaces still in tact and random shields of Shakespeare, what I love the most about this department store is the fact that it almost feels like you're perusing through some random person's estate because of the homely feel of each room.
The success and eclecticism of Liberty is all thanks to the daring vision of one man, Arthur Lasenby Liberty (and the £2,000 loan he got from his then father-in-law which was repaid only 18 months later). His aim was to shake up the face of homeware and fashion by bringing influences and products from the Eastern world and this vision is still evident in Liberty products today.
This brings me to the heart of the blog post which is to confess my obsession with Liberty prints, which are world renowned and so iconic that you can recognize their patterns almost instantly. Because of his involvement with the Costume Society back in the 1880's and the fact that Liberty had a Royal Warrant, Arthur Liberty was creating stunning in-house designs in collaboration with other British designers of the time such as William Morris. Some of these early designs are still used today and it is wonderful to see how they have been reinterpreted for the customer of today.
My inspiration for this post however, came about thanks to one piece of clothing which of course I got from one of my rummaging trips at my go to charity shop in London. It features one of my favourite Liberty prints, Ianthe, whose roots stem from the French Art Nouveau designer, R. Beauclair (also one of my favourite design movements). "Ianthe" derives from the Greek words 'ion' and 'anthos' which translates to purple or violet flowers, indicating that the floral design may have originally been drawn based on violets.
Although this shirt is not for sale, we do have this print in a vintage Liberty tie at the shop as well as a selection of other amazing Liberty printed silk & cotton ties. So come down and check them out even if it's just to see the iconic designs up close :)
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I've wanted to write a post on Cate for a while now but somehow it got left behind, which in a way is a happy coincidence because there is no better time than the present given that she has a brand spanking new film out. If the teaser trailer and photos are anything to go by, which are both rather amazing, then this is set to be one fabulous visual feast and we can not wait for it to come out! Ms. Blanchett is starring in Carol, the screen adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel 'The Price of Salt' and it is probably the only film that has me genuinely excited this year. Not only because it will be Cate doing what Cate does best (i.e. rocking the socks off her acting credibility) but also because it is set in 1950's New York which means taking one of the chicest eras in history and setting it against the glamorous backdrop of one of the greatest cities in the world.
The minute I laid eyes on the absolutely stunning teaser photos I instantaneously fell in love - the hair, the hats, the jewels, the nipped in waists, the refined effortless glamour - all the aspects that made the 50's such a gloriously rich era fashion wise.
If like us you are a fan of this decade and in need of some inspiration then fear not, I have compiled our favourite pieces to help you emulate the look!
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The one thing synonymous with summer is the beach and with it comes the deep blue sea, a bright blue sky and summer looks that sizzle! If you think about it, blue is quite the generic colour in that we come across it a lot in daily life. Blue jeans, blue sky, blue sea, blue pens. It is also a colour that is easy to wear - not scary or outrageous in any way and almost a fail safe alternative to black. However, come across the right tone of blue and it's a completely different story!
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You may remember that last month I did a post on the incredible photographer Tim Walker and one of my favourite pieces of his is this photo featuring model Lily Cole sitting on a spiral staircase wearing an ethereal blue gown with a breathtakingly long train. Everything about this picture is perfection, from the composition to the pastel colours and of course I have a thing for old buildings so that's a bonus, but despite all of that the stand out feature for us is the beautifully intricate iron staircase.
So I guess I not only have a thing for old buildings, I also have a massive obsession with interesting staircases, especially spiral ones, and the funny thing is that when looking back at some of my holiday snaps today from countries all over the world I seem to almost always have a picture (or two) of staircases.
]]>So if you follow this blog you would know that I once wrote a post about one of my favourite designers entitled Dame Viv for Queen! Well I couldn't very well leave the queen of eccentricity without a king (*disclaimer - this obviously is not a literal observation but let us just say that if these two had got together and had babies and they grew up to follow in their parents footsteps then the world would be a much better place filled with dyed lambs dressed in crazy outfits!)
Tim Walker portrait of Vivienne Westwood
What Viv does to clothes Tim Walker does to photos and although he has been known as a fashion photographer for over 15 years now, to me he is so much more than that. There are fashion photographers out there who focus too much on the selling principle of a photo and while the clothes and composition may still come out looking stunning, Walker manages to go that step further and transport the viewer into a whole different world . “To me, a photograph is far stronger when something is suggested rather than defined. If you define it there is nowhere for your imagination to go.” There is too much emphasis these days in magazines on selling the product, pushing more and more ads and images in people's faces, that sometimes the artistry and imagination that magazines were pioneered for when they first appeared has somehow been lost. This is why when a creative mind such as Tim Walker comes along and puts his touch on an editorial spread you know that something magical is about to unfold, and suddenly an afternoon of casually flipping through a magazine turns into a wonderful adventure through the mind of a genius.
As children we have the best imaginations and to be able to reach that far back to create such whimsical sets and characters is no mean feat. It is no surprise then that Walker's work is heavily influenced by children's books, particularly Alice in Wonderland. “I think Alice In Wonderland will always run in my head: the idea of the girl who falls asleep, tumbles in to a dream world and has to find her way out. It’s the best – the trippiness and the idea of the girl as the heroine. Every girl or boy I photograph is Alice.”
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I was clearing out the ol' storage room and came across this YSL Manifesto from Fall 10/11. Even though it is a couple of years old these vintage looks are so sleek and sexy I had to share! Daria Werbowy is looking mighty fine in some seriously fierce looks that give more than a nod to the gorgeous sophistication of the 70's. Of course, if you're feeling inspired to re-create this retro look don't forget the sleek hairdo is a must (flyaways are not permitted). For a complete insight into the manifesto don't forget to watch the video at the end!
Although Diana Vreeland is a legend in the Vogue family tree, the former editor-in-chief had actually established herself first as a huge fashion force at Harper’s Bazaar. Having being plucked from obscurity in 1936, Vreeland quickly made a name for herself through her impeccable style. Having grabbed readers’ attention through her refreshing column “Why Don’t You?” (Why Don’t You… have your cigarettes stamped with a personal insignia?), she went on to revolutionize the job of Fashion Editor. By being extremely hands-on and forward thinking, Vreeland managed to stay with the magazine for 26 years. However, tired of not being promoted to editor-in-chief she decided to leave, putting her flamboyant nature and enthusiasm to work at Vogue in 1963. The swinging sixties and Vreeland’s colourful personality was a match made in heaven. The innate ability she had to know exactly what readers wanted, together with her glorious ideas for fashion spreads completely transformed Vogue into the fashion bible it is today. "Give ‘em what they never knew they wanted!", she once said.
In addition to her remarkable eye for fashion, she was also known for talent spotting and every model she worked with, from Lauren Hutton to Ali McGraw, became household names thanks to their Vogue exposure. Diana Vreeland finally left the magazine in 1971 when she was controversially let go and although quite hurt by the dismissal, she didn't look back. Two years later she joined the Met Museum’s Costume Institute in New York as a consultant, organising extremely popular exhibitions such as “The World of Balenciaga”. Towards the latter part of the 80's, Vreeland became extremely ill and sadly passed away in 1989. She will always remain to be the ultimate style icon, and while every legend has its critics, no one can deny that for over half a century she played an integral part in shaping the fashion industry.
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Here at thecollective we love a good DIY project especially when it involves minimum effort for maximum output and these wreaths are no exception! Not saying these won't require serious patience and DIY skills but when the end result is as beautiful and impressive as these examples below it will all be worth it! With Christmas round the corner it is a great opportunity to flex those handcrafting fingers and get stuck in with making your own unique wreath instead of buying one from the shops and to help you out we've picked some gorgeous examples from the web to inspire you and get you going. And the best thing about it? You can tailor it to suit your own tastes and fit in with the rest of your home decor so that it becomes a permanent fixture - coz when wreaths look as fashionable and stylish as these ones below it would be a shame to take them down!
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What can I say about the Grande Dame of British Fashion that hasn't already been said... "flame-haired godmother of punk", "cutting edge but classic", "icon of the fashion world". She stands out in an ocean of great designers because she is outspoken, eccentric, inspirational and just plain genius! Everything she stands for, from political to social and environmental, is translated into her business and, while some say her designs are not their cup of tea, it's quite hard for anyone to deny the amount of detail, craftsmanship and exquisite tailoring that go into Westwood's designs. Here's a compilation of my fave photos and looks past and present.
If I've got you pining over a Westwood piece but your pocket doesn't stretch far enough yet we've got you covered. Check out some of my vintage pieces that might just do the trick until that much needed pay cheque comes in!
Long Silk Regency Scarf €25.00
Oversized Cotton Striped Shirt €15.00
Navy Suede Pirate Buckle Belt €25.00
]]>I've always been a fan of Dries Van Noten primarily because of the eclecticism of the brand and the beauty in the fabrics, colours and mismatching looks that are offered up season after season. There's always a touch of masculinity to Van Noten's designs but the sumptuous fabrics and unique prints he uses manage to balance out the androgyny so that the feminine elements also shine through. The collections are always brilliantly thought out and are indicative of an intellectual, sophisticated and seasoned designer, not to mention the styling and layering of outfits is always spot on. It's no wonder then that the likes of Cate Blanchett and Maggie Gyllenhaal are huge fans - it takes a certain level of confidence and a strong sense of style to carry of a Dries Van Noten design and his clothes are not to be worn flippantly. Van Noten's Antwerpian roots are also noticeable in a lot of his work and this season was no different. The designer references the famous painting 'Ophelia' by Sir John Everett Millais as well as the well-known play by Shakespeare 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.
Ophelia by Sir John Everett Millais
Here are a few of my favourite looks from the SS15 catwalk show - it was very hard to choose just a few because they were all unique so be sure to check out the full album here (p.s. check out the gorgeous floor courtesy of Argentinean artist Alexandra Kehayoglou).
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I don't normally sit and analyse fashion week or trends for that matter - to me fashion and style are down to the individual and what fits the personality and body type of each person. HOWEVER as images of SS15 Fashion Week keep popping up through magazine newsletters and social media I can't help but notice a little 'trend' that seems to be everywhere on the catwalks. It all started with a great big smile and a flutter of excitement that only your inner child can experience, the kind of elation I get when we are rummaging through piles of second hand clothes and our eyes are suddenly greeted with a vintage wonder that we know will excite our customers just as much. It all started with one photo:
This look is courtesy of Sibling and the entire catwalk album is definitely worth a glimpse, just for the fabulous head gear because the clothes leave a lot to be desired. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that you should all go out and get a massive bow to stick on your head (first of all the practicality of it is just not humanly possible) but if you wish to do so I would be the first to commend you for it. What these head pieces did manage to do however is bring to my attention the sheer volume of bows and consequently knots that were present on the rest of the catwalks and this look is definitely something I am a fan of. Whether as a loosely tied belt or part of the fabric itself this carefully orchestrated detail will definitely add that extra 'je ne sais quoi' to any outfit. So here are my picks of the best knots and bows on show to get you inspired:
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