Goat Busters!

So, you want to look beautiful but want to do good at the same time?  Then splash out on Wholly Goat's fabulous cashmere wraps and shawls.  These gorgeous pieces are produced in Nepal using traditional methods and local craftspeople who are paid fair wages and provided with good working conditions.  To add icing to the cake they are offering a percentage of sales of their 'must have' knitted cashmere shawl, featuring the face of a leopard, to the Snow Leopard Conservancy dedicated to the preservation and breeding of this near extinct  cat. We've only just discovered this label but can guarantee we'll be devotees throughout the winter and will continue to flaunt our purchases as sarongs on sunkissed beaches  in the summer  ...  Invest in one of these beautiful pieces and be assured you are doing more than  simply flaunting  fashion.

The McEnroe of Surfing

Can you believe the waste?  This cool dude, Andy Irons, three times world surfing champion, died earlier this month aged 32, apparently of dengue fever.  He leaves his pregnant wife Lyndie behind.  Life is far too short for some.  Simply too too sad ............

Thank you again Ms Hillson!

The fabulous Ms Bobby Hillson, illustrator and fashion icon extraordinaire has kindly provided us with yet another image to adorn the Fashion Bloggers blog!  Limited edition prints of her illustration of the Biba twins are amongst Vogue.com's Christmas Gift choices and available from William Ling, expert collector of fashion illustrations and author of 100 Years of Illustration.  Buy now before they jump off the shelves!  The wonderful VERY magazine featured a major profile on Bobby in the current issue.  You can lay your hands on copies at art shops and Selfridges or pick up a copy on December 4th at the Fashion Just Got Ethical Fair in Notting Hill.

We Love What He Loves in What He Wears!

We've discovered that the blogger for What He Wears loves the same menswear labels that we do too....  so we've added it to our favourite blogs of course.  Menswear lovers should check it out pronto!  We believe that menswear (and hats!) are the new zeitgeist .....

Seeing the Light

Margaret O'Rorke will never go out of fashion. Currently on show at the Contemporary Applied Arts in the West End her work with light and translucent porcelain is at once both sculptural as well as 'functional' (if such a ghastly word can be applied to her stunning pieces). Margaret's experience with Koie Ryolji in Japan in the '90's is evident in the fine ceramic lighting pieces this 'potter extraordinaire' produces. By chance I met her a couple of weeks ago and as a result made a visit to her show, which is not to be missed. You will see imititations of her work in Heals, Conrans and anywhere that designer lighting is to be found. But Margaret's are works of art and genuine collectors pieces. Catch her show if you can!

Menswear Reigneth ....

Great menswear shoot on Idol   Check out this online mag for some stylish input!  Congrats ...

Fashion Press Week - or Art?

During Fashion Press Week at the Saatchi Gallery I snuck down (and encouraged others!) to visit the Richard Wilson oil installation  in the basement.  This is the MOST fantastic, ridiculous, piece of artwork (who in gods name would buy a roomful of oil?) and totally, fabulously impressive.  The smell alone grinds one to a halt. 
Whilst the guards looked the other way I hopped over the security rope and walked down the metal 'aisle' (now closed to the public due to too many fingers poking the oil) into what seemed like an out of worldly abyss.  This is a most sensational piece of 'art' and, if you have the opportunity, visit the Saatchi, drop in at the basement level, and pay homage to this arwork if for nothing else.  Please.  Fashion pshwaar .....

The Divine Bobby Hillson

When fashion historians look back on the 20th Century to assess the factors that established London as a primary source of inspiration and creativity in the industry known as 'fashion', then the name Bobby Hillson will stand proud amongst the rabble.  Indeed, if asked to put together a time capsule of names that epitomised cutting edge fashion of the 1980's and 1990's, then Bobby Hillson's proteges would ride 'chic to jowel' alongside such luminaries as Vivienne Westwood and John Galliano.  As the instigator of the  fashion MA at St. Martins (now CSM), Ms Hillson  introduced the first-ever commercial sponsorship of British fashion students and persuaded the BFC to allow St. Martins MA fashion students to take to the London Fashion Week catwalk.  Although the catwalk show is now scheduled in June outside of LFW, Central St. Martins remains a cornerstone for creativity and the annual fashion show is on the agenda of every UK fashion journalist and buyer worth their salt.    Bobby can also lay claim to having recognised and nurtured the talents of a young 'master' who did not enjoy the usual credentials for acceptance on the MA programme at CSM, but on whom she intuitively and professionally took a risk.  A young man named Alexander McQueen.  The fashion industry salutes you Bobby Hillson.

Amongst her many talents, Bobby is also a consummate fashion illustrator having started her career as a fashion illustrator at Vogue.  She has generously given The Fashion Bloggers permission to use her illustrations from time to time to adorn the blog.  Thank you!  Please contact us if you would like to see more of her work.

The Human Form ....

These amazing images are all created using the human form.  Look closely  .... Amazing!