The Show Will Go On??? Diors A/W

So without John Galliano I wondered to myself did will Dior's show really go on?!
Well the answer is yes it did! Hooded superwomen coats, floppy hats, pleated skirts,leather boots and lots of fur around the cuffs and neck were seen at the Dior show. I did like what the show brought but I did think there was something missing, whether that be Galliano's presence or just something not right in the collection.
A speech from Dior's president and chief executive Sidney Toledano regarding the Galliano incedent was :


Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Since its founding by Monsieur Dior, the House of Christian Dior has lived an extraordinary and wonderful story and has had the honour of embodying France’s image, and its values, all around the world. 

What has happened over the last week has been a terrible and wrenching ordeal for us all. 

It has been deeply painful to see the Dior name associated with the disgraceful statements attributed to its designer, however brilliant he may be. 

Such statements are intolerable because of our collective duty to never forget the Holocaust and its victims, and because of the respect for human dignity that is owed to each person and to all peoples. 

These statements have deeply shocked and saddened all at Dior who give body and soul to their work, and it is particularly painful that they came from someone so admired for his remarkable creative talent. 

So now, more than ever, we must publicly re-commit ourselves to the values of the House of Dior. 

Christian Dior founded his House in 1947. 

His family had been ruined in the Crash of 1929 and his own beloved sister had been deported to Buchenwald. In the aftermath of the dark years of the war, he sought to free women, to give them back their sparkle and joyfulness. 

Christian Dior’s values were those of excellence in all that he undertook, of elegance and of craftsmanship reflecting his unique talent. His mission was not only to make his clients – indeed all women – more beautiful, but also to make them happy, to help them dream. He saw himself as a magician who could give women confidence and make them ever more feminine, more sublime. He believed in the importance of respect and in the capacity of this fundamental value not only to bring out the beauty in women, but also to bring out the best in all people. 

His values, his genius and his legacy have contributed to enhancing France’s image and culture around the world for more than sixty years. 

The values that Monsieur Dior taught us are unchanged today. Those values are carried on by the wonderful and diverse group of people within the House of Dior who devote all their talent and energy to achieving the ultimate in artisanship and femininity, respecting traditional skills and incorporating modern techniques. 

The heart of the House of Dior, which beats unseen, is made up of its teams and studios, of its seamstresses and craftsmen, who work hard day after day, never counting the hours, and carrying on the values and the vision of Monsieur Dior. 

What you are going to see now is the result of the extraordinary, creative, and marvellous efforts of these loyal, hardworking people. 

Thank you. 

Sidney Toledano

Interview With Zuzana Serbak!!!

Zuzana is a graduate from the Academy of Arts, Architetcture and Design in Prague. She studied Footwear and Fashion Design. Her shoes have certainly caught my eye!
 I managed to catch up with Zuzana for a chat on what her plans are and future aspirations:

So Zuzana, tell us how your passion for shoe design came around, was it a long ambition to become a shoe designer?

Since my early age I enjoyed the arts and design and I was interested in different textile techniques and technologies so I based my studies on my interests. I studied textiles at high school and I specialised on footwear and fashion design at university. 

Is there any shoes designers you have inspired to and are inspired by?  

I don't know if there are any designers I inspired to. Off course there are some designers I like but my inspiration usually came from different things or impulses. 

Your shoes are extremely unique, is this your personal style and what inspires you to create such unique shoes?

Naturally this is my 'style' and my shoes are unique because I usually don't follow trends but go my own way. I take inspiration from everything around me, but often I'm analysing  functions and looking for innovations and alternative solutions. In my last collection I was inspired by material itself, what means understanding how it works, what is possible to do with that material and what are the functions and benefits of it. Basically I had an idea to make really high and slim heals, because carbon fibre is an extra strong material and allows to make it. It is also extra light, so I could make something bulky without having it too heavy to wear. Composite materials must be formed to shape, so technologies used also influence the final shape.(for example I couldn't make sharp edges with carbon fibre). I was inspired basically by organic and architectural shapes. You can find elements referring to drops and flowing liquid and crystallizing.

  

In your opinion what makes your shoes so desirable?

Maybe because they are unique and something new. They are exclusive because of materials used (combinations of carbon fibre, silicone, leather and textile) and they also have interesting shapes.

Can you remember the first shoe you brought?

It was a pair of red sneakers when I was 16.

What made you decide to create your own shoe line rather than design for another shoe label?

This collection was my graduate line, so it was absolutely personal and free. In future I hope to create my own lines and also design for another shoe labels which fit my personal goals. 

What do you having going on now besides designing your collections?

I'm collaborating with another shoe label and also with a girl who is a fashion designer. I also design bags for an american brand. 

Im sure you have big plans for your future, what are your aspirations for the coming years? 

Basically I've just finished school few months ago so I need to collect contacts and get experiences. I love to collaborate with different people and participate in projects. There is still a lot to learn. I'd like to run my own brand.

How can we find your shoes(website etc) and do you ship internationally?

Everything you can find on my blog  zuzanaserbak.blogspot.com which I will be updating soon for infomation.

GALLIANO FIRED FROM DIOR!

Shamed designer John Galliano has been fired as creative director for French fashion house Dior following the alleged anti-semitic comments he made to people in a Paris cafe. I really did not see this coming, I thought he would of just got a slap on the wrist! As much as I love Galliano it's good to see that huge brands like Dior have taken a stand against racism but on the other hand it is a huge loss!

Read the full story http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1361462/Your-forefathers-gassed-John-Galliano-questioned-French-police-tape-second-anti-semitic-rant-emerges.html

Vintage Threads Manchester

So guys, on the 5th march Manchester Fashion Network are holding a vintage popup shop. It will be perfect for you vintage bargain lovers! Its starts at around 11 till 5.30 in the unit near Tampopo,triangle shopping centre just near Selfridges.
Full details are on the MFN website http://www.manchesterfashion.com/event/179/vintage-threads-march-fair

kiss kiss

x

Maria Grachvogel

Now this show really did ignite my passion! The models were so beautiful and swan like. They seemed to glide across the floors of the Savoy hotel. ,the models and collection really fitted into the hotels simply stunning exterior. Maria clearly wanted to make her mark this season with animal print,celebrity worthy dresses and remarkable textures, the movement in the pieces were just incredible, they oozed sophistication.
The print used was somewhere between a tiger,panther or cheetah with each model having feathers in there hair together with a dark purple lip,strong dark eyebrows and a sheer orange over the eyes.This collection is for the "power women" strong, feminine with a certain class about them,such a beautiful collection.

London Fashion Week!

So I was off to London for the week for my first London Fashion Week! Exciting!

Getting up so early is not my forte but I had to make the exception as the first show was Paul Costelloe. Paul Costelloe's daughter Jessica opened the show (which can I also say im sure she and the other models were wearing the recent stone Top shop court shoes I have!). The collection was very feminine, the models appearing as English rose's. Colour blocking was seen throughout the show with vibrant yellows,pinks and greens with tartan and metallics always with opaque tights. The makeup was flawless and matt with a purpley/pink lip (which i will show you how to do!) teamed up with frizzed red hair. Overall the show was vivid, colourful and certainly brightened up my day.