Las Vegas is getting a taste of English high street style in the form of the recently opened Topshop flagship store in its Fashion Show Mall.

Ever since its founding in 1964, Topshop has forged a reputation as the go-to place for the latest in English contemporary style. The recent appointment of ex-Vogue Fashion Director Kate Phelan as Topshop’s Creative Director has only made the brand more fashion-tastic.

While we can’t get enough of the brand here in the UK, the same can be said for tastes across the pond. Country borders notwithstanding, it looks like UK style is a universal language.

topshop.com

Currently on show at the KK Outlet, Words of Wisdom is the second exhibition from the W Project. Launched to coincide with International Women’s Day with the noble aim of celebrating, connecting and inspiring women across the creative industries, Loren Platt and Teo Connor asked a mix of female talent to contribute an answer on a postcard to the question – what are your words of wisdom?

On Saturday night they also held a symposium dinner where filmmakers Quentin Jones and Kathryn Ferguson spoke about their work and Rhonda and Lulu of the Darkroom enlightened and inspired guests by telling the story of starting out and setting up their beautiful shop on Lamb’s Conduit Street. All round wise words and wisdom from creative women. Thank you W Project.

For more information on W Project events visit thewproject.co.uk

Tags: Darkroom, Kathryn Ferguson, kk outlet, loren platt, Quentin Jones, Rhonda and Lulu, Teo Connor, W project, Words of Wisdom

It was while Dubliner Julie Chance was DJing in a Paris dive bar in 2010 that she encountered Australian Jon Dark. Bonding over shared musical sensibilities, they exchanged records and ideas before booking flights to Berlin and their musical project kool thing was born.

Pulling together musical references from grunge to prog rock, kool thing blends atmospheric synths with new wave bass. Their singe EP Light Games was released earlier this year and they’re currently working on a full-length album.

Twin asked Chance to name her favourite nine tracks right now…

1/ Sinéad O”Connor – Black Boys On Mopeds
Sinéad has a new album out called How About I Be Me (And You Be You) and it”s brilliant. Being born and bred in Dublin I had to include Sinéad. Always outspoken and a head of her time, one of my all time heroines. This song is an oldie but a goodie from the 1990 album I Do Not Want What I Haven”t Got.

2/ Elliott Smith – Angeles
I was first introduced to Elliott Smith when I was visiting New York some years ago. The rawness of his lyrics and the frailty of his voice struck a chord deep inside me that has stayed with me ever since.

3/ The Smiths – Reel Around The Fountain
Probably one of my favourite bands of all time. Enough said. This is the first song off their first album.

4/ Nick Drake – River Man
While studying photography in Cork I was introduced to Nick Drake by a classmate. I”ve always had a penchant for a sombre song and Nick Drake delivered them in abundance. I fell in love with him instantly.

5/ Judee Sill – The Kiss
An ex-girlfriend got me into Judee Sill a few years ago. Judee Sill wrote the most beautiful bewitching songs and could have been as big as Nick Drake if she had been recognised more but wasn”t for whatever reasons. Her life ended prematurely due to drug addiction and we are left with only two albums. This song is from the 1973 album Heart Food.

6/ Amy Winehouse – Love Is A Losing Game
Another one of my heroines, we lost Amy last summer and she broke my heart along with millions of others. In 2008 students at Cambridge University were asked in their final  exams to compare the lyrics of Love Is A Losing Game with Shakespeare, Sir Walter Raleigh, Milton and Wordsworth for literary analysis. This YouTube vid is of her performing the song at the Other Voices Festival in Dingle, Ireland in 2006.

7/ This Mortal Coil – Sixteen Days/Gathering Dust
I don”t even know where I got this from but I have it on vinyl now and I always include it in my DJ sets. I love Cocteau Twins and Elizabeth Fraser”s vocal on this is just haunting.

8/ Trust – Candy Walls
Moving firmly into the present now, our friend Maya Postepski from Austra just dropped her new album from her other project Trust and I”m really into this track, Candy Walls, its so good!

9/ Lower Dens – Brains
Lower Dens have a new album coming out in May I think. I loved the first one so I”m pretty excited about the next. This song is from the forthcoming album.

Listen to Kool Thing”s playlist koolthingmusic.com

Tags: Berlin, Jon Dark, Julie Chance, Kool Thing, Light Games

It’s been two years since Sarah Burton was appointed creative director of Alexander McQueen. Since then, her success at the label has been nothing short of a phoenix rising from the ashes.

Following the tragic and sudden loss of Lee McQueen, his design assistant for over 14 years was immediately thrust into the large gap that the English enfant terrible of fashion had left. Aside from the mourning of such a close friend, the expectations on Burton to continue his legacy were another heavy burden for the Manchester-born designer to carry.

But rather than crumble under the pressure, she excelled. From the delicate, earth motherly collection for Spring/Summer 2011 with which she made her debut to the futuristically astounding designs for this season, Burton has stepped out of the shadow of Lee McQueen to become a distinguishable design talent in her own right. Here is a woman who unarguably embeds the label’s DNA into every piece, but has considerably lightened up the overall feel of every collection from the at times dark and tortured soul that we knew and loved about the late designer’s collections to something softer, but equally breathtaking.

There is not just her accomplishments at the main line label to praise: having debuted the brand’s diffusion line McQ on the runway in a military

and forest-inspired show this London Fashion Week, as well as establishing its first standalone boutique in the capital, Burton isn’t just continuing the brand founded by her mentor, she is reviving it. Managing to guide the label from a desolate tragedy into a bright future, it’s safe to say that Lee McQueen wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

alexandermcqueen.com
m-c-q.com

Tags: Alexander Mcqueen, Fashion, Lee McQueen, london fashion week, McQ, Sarah Burton

If you haven’t already, head down to the Southbank Centre and check out the Women of the World festival. For the second year running, Artistic Director Jude Kelly has put together a rich and inspiring schedule of readings, talks and performances.

“Throughout history, many women’s achievements have gone unnoticed or unsung,” says Kelly. “I created WOW to celebrate the formidable power of women to make change happen, to remind us of our history, to draw attention to injustice, to enjoy each other’s company and to encourage men to add their support as we set out to achieve a fairer world.”

With events featuring names such as Natasha Walter, Bidisha, Emeli Sande and Annie Lennox, we reckon it’ll be pretty difficult to ignore the female talent busting out of the Royal Festival Hall this weekend.

Southbank Centre’s Women of the World Festival is on until March 11th 2012. For the full schedule of events visit southbankcentre.co.uk/wow

Tags: Annie Lennox, Jude Kelly, Natasha Walter, Southbank Centre, Women of the World Festival, WOW

In a world dominated by endless choice, sometimes the hardest decision can be deciding between one or the other. Enter Mélanie Crété’s highly addictive Tumblr blog, This or That.

Ranging from the age old question of Audrey versus Marilyn to Ferrero Rocher versus Mon Chéri, in Crété’s online world, everything boils down to the idea of a simple choice. We sat down with the digital marketing and social media manager to talk about the idea behind her blog, print versus digital and to play a round of This or That Twin style…

What prompted you to start This or That?
I have always been a bit obsessed with DIY collages and mood boards. Then Myspace came in and I discovered the joy of Photobucket while trying to teach myself photoshop and basic html, which I guess lead the way to This or That. When I started working in digital marketing and social media four years ago, I spent days researching blogs, organising them by theme in a very anal way and got completely hooked on Tumblr which I decided was the perfect platform to showcase my very messy iPhoto library. The concept somehow came very instinctively, the name came from the fact that I actually never know when to use ‘this’ or ‘that’ (I’m from Paris).

What is your main source of image inspiration?
Tumblr. My favourites are When Hearts Are Young and New York City Lights.

When did you first become fascinated with all things digital?
In 2000 when I installed Napster and ICQ on my PC.

How do you see the relationship between print and digital publications developing, will one replace the other?
Nothing will replace anything. I just see digital being integrated in all parts of the process with both digital and print teams working in synergy to produce amazing content and using different formats which is relevant to all platforms, including social media.

You are also a DJ, what are your top five favourite tunes of all time?
I used to DJ—I don’t think you can be good at everything so I had to make choices!
But my favourite tracks at the moment are:
The Pharcyde – Passing Me By
Machinedrum – Van Vogue
ASAP – Peso
Grimes – Oblivion
Mos Def – Auditorium

In the sense of This or That…Blackberry or iPhone?
iPhone.

Either coffee or tea?
Coffee.

Either Bikini Kill or Courtney Love?
Courtney Love.

Either The Rolling Stones or The Beatles?
Rolling Stones.

Either the city or countryside?
City during the week , countryside at the weekend.

Either Eddie or Patsy from Absolutely Fabulous?
Patsy.

Either an exhibition or a concert?
Concert.

thisorthatblog.com
facebook.com/thisorthatblog
twitter.com/melaniecrete

Tags: Blog, Fashion, Mélanie Crété, Music, photography, Tumblr

Look at your calendar. Today is March 8th. For over 100 years, today is when women across the world come together to celebrate and shout about women and issues affecting women.

Author and journalist Kira Cochrane was the Guardian’s women’s editor from 2006 to 2010. She also edited an anthology of Guardian feminist writing, Women of the Revolution, which is out on paperback today.

Twin caught up with Kira to talk about how things have changed for women…

What did you discover about feminism and the way it’s changed from editing Women of the Revolution?
Looking at the history of feminism over the last forty years, what’s interesting is how many of the issues essentially remain the same, even if they’ve shifted and hopefully improved in the meantime. In the Seventies there was huge concern about sexual violence, abortion rights, equal pay, political representation, and there still is today. Also, the attitudes we have to challenge – in ourselves as much as anyone – stay similar, and there’s something powerful in realising that. One of the pieces I love in the anthology is by Jill Tweedie, from 1971, when she writes that women have to fight “the continual and largely unconscious compulsion to be nice”. I think that message is as relevant as ever!

Can you remember your first meaningful contact with feminism? When and what was it?
It was really the example of my mother. I grew up in a pretty non-political household in Essex – I don’t think my mother’s ever referred to herself as a feminist, and we didn’t have political conversations or anything like that – but it was a really political situation. My father died of a heart attack when I was two, my brother was run over and killed when he was eight and I was six, my younger brother was born with serious learning disabilities, which mean he’ll always have to be looked after, and my mother had a major rift with her family, and stopped talking to them almost thirty years ago.

She’d left school at sixteen, and I’ve watched her, throughout my life, work exceptionally hard to look after me and my brother, as a single mother, often working minimum wage jobs (in the days before there was a minimum wage – so we’re talking REALLY minimal!). That provided a pretty awe-inspiring example of female strength. It impressed on me just how powerful women can be, and also how important it is for us to have financial and emotional independence, and a society that values women’s work, while supporting people of both sexes, all backgrounds, when they’re hit by circumstances beyond their control.

What are the main issues affecting women’s rights today that particularly provoke you?
What still really shocks me is the high incidence of rape and sexual assault – and the low incidence of convictions on those charges. I’m as enraged as ever by that.

 Have you perceived a change in the way women will identify as feminist in recent years?
Over the past five or ten years it seems the number of young women identifying as feminist has soared – there have been so many great feminist voices appearing online, and I think they’ve underlined how relevant, how current, all these issues still are. I think there was a moment, back in the Ninenties, when there was huge talk of us living in a ‘post-feminist’ age, and women were embarrassed to call themselves feminists, worried they’d be seen as hairy of armpit and dour of personality, but we seem to be beyond that backlash now. I think now too, when we ARE hairy, we’re hairy and proud!

Why is International Women’s Day important?
Obviously, in an ideal world, there would be no need to have a single day set aside for women, but given the issues still facing us, it’s a great opportunity for conversation, activism, performances, campaigning. I became women’s editor of the Guardian in 2006, and there seemed a lot of activity back then, but nothing compared with the explosion of events taking place this year.

What will you be doing on International Women’s Day?
I’ll be interviewing people for a feminist piece I’m writing, and then attending whatever events I can around that. On Friday and Sunday, I’m appearing on panels at the Women of the World festival on London’s Southbank, and I’ll be trying to see as much as I can there too, because it’s a great programme they’ve put together.

 What artists/writers/musicians do you admire for promoting female creativity and issues?
So many! Not all of them would define themselves as feminist, but on the art side, Cindy Sherman, Yayoi Kusama, Yoko Ono, Susan Hiller, the Guerrilla Girls, Alice Neel, Louise Bourgeois, Gillian Wearing. I went to  New York last year, and made a small pilgrimage to see Judy Chicago’s great feminist work, The Dinner Party, on long-term display at the Brooklyn Museum. That’s some proper Seventies feminist goodness!

In terms of writers, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Carol Ann Duffy, Jo Shapcott, Maya Angelou, Zadie Smith, Muriel Spark, and Paula Fox. I remember being profoundly moved by Andrea Dworkin’s memoir Heartbreak, and I had never really understood the true meaning of the phrase ‘mind-bending’ until I read Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House last year. That last book is extraordinary, as is Jackson’s short story The Lottery, and her final novel, We Have Always Lived in the Castle.

When it comes to musicians, I’d say Nina Simone, Dinah Washington, Billie Holliday, Aretha Franklin, Bjork, Sinead O’Connor, The Breeders and Tina Turner. I love the way Beth Ditto has spoken about her feminism, and I still love the anger and energy of Liz Phair’s 1993 album Exile in Guyville all these years later.

And then there are the women filmmakers – too many good ones to mention them all, but Nicole Holofcener for making truly grown-up films, Kim Longinotto for making intensely powerful documentaries, and Claire Denis for making really startling, beautiful work.

 Which writer would you point young women curious about feminism in the direction of?
I’ve spoken to a lot of women recently who had never really encountered feminism, who have absolutely loved Caitlin Moran’s How to be a Woman, and found it a brilliant introduction to all sorts of ideas. I also think it’s worth checking out Jessica Valenti’s books; Female Chauvinist Pigs by Ariel Levy; and Living Dolls by Natasha Walter. And one of the reasons I had for putting Women of the Revolution together in the first place was to create a book full of serious ideas, and excellent writers, so that people could discover them and decide who they wanted to read more widely. So many women who have inspired me are in there: Susan Brownmiller, Nawal El Saadawi, bell hooks, Gloria Steinem, Joan Smith, to name just a few.

 What are you working on next?
I have about 1500 ideas for feminist articles, so I’m just working my way through those – also, plans for another feminist book, and a couple of novels, so it’s a question, as ever, of working out what there’s time for, and then seeing what sticks!

KIRA COCHRANE is the editor of Women of the Revolution (Guardian Books, £9.99) out today. She is a features writer for the Guardian and co-edited the anthology of women’s journalism, Cupcakes and Kalashnikovs. @KiraCochrane

Tags: Guardian, International Women's Day, Kira Cochrane, Women of the Revolution

To many, Paris is the city of love. More importantly however, it is the city of fashion, which could not have been made more clear than through the variety of awe-inspiring runway shows this A/W 12 season. Twin recounts our favourite collections of Paris Fashion Week….

Alexander McQueen

Oversized visor/sunglass hybrids, shaggy fur trimming and heeless, leather strap boots were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to Sarah Burton’s extraordinary A/W 12 collection for Alexander McQueen. As always, there was no shortage of craftsmanship and detailing. Victorian ruffle collars, rolled pleating, laser leather cutouts and delicate floral appliques and embroidery heightened the luxury of the alpine white, pale pink, rose lavender and fuchsia pieces.

Despite the collection’s at times very voluminous silhouettes, silver waist-cinching belts and shorter hemlines still let the sensual side of the McQueen woman shine through. With gravity-defying silk chiffon standing away from the body like a sea anemone, intricately reworked velvet bearing floral shapes and marabou feather hems, Burton even managed to add a touch of earth to an otherwordly collection.

Celine

Phoebe Philo’s vision of the Celine woman has always been a modern and streamlined one. This season, she added a dash of athleticism and bold colours to that equation.

The designer’s signature colour palette of black and white was amped up through the addition of azure blue, fuchsia, rose pink, aubergine and vermilion red, while oversized wool coats, double piping on front-pleated trousers and striped crew neck jumpers gave the collection a more casual feel. But in fabrics such as supple leather and fur, each piece still had that unmistakable touch of Celine luxury.

Chalayan

In this collection, intricate prints resembled the hasty stroke of a painter’s brush, and paint Hussein Chalayan did with colours including crimson, teal, camel, tenné, emerald, fluorescent orange and green.

The silhouettes were streamlined in the form of oversized single-button coats, tunics and shift dresses, but always good for the unexpected detail, he added large cutouts, as well as rectangular bands in contrast collars to cinch in pieces at the waist and bust, not to mention reflective silver lamé panelling, trousers and brogues. Whether artistic or futuristic, every piece bore the Chalayan signature.

Chanel

Considering the high value that Karl Lagerfeld has in the fashion industry, it was only a matter of time before he produced a collection inspired by precious stones. If the set design of oversize crystals jutting out of the ground wasn’t hint enough, this season’s Chanel colour palette was all about the emerald greens, amethyst purples, ruby reds, golds, antique silvers and sapphire blues.

Whether interwoven with the house’s signature tweed or sewn into the sleeves, pockets and breast of a flared wool coat dress, Lagerfeld’s chromatic approach this season only heightened the luxury of the gemstone, feather and lace-crafted pieces. Their point of inspiration may date back to the beginning of time, but thanks to a mixture of architecturally sculpted and relaxed silhouettes, every look was pure modernity. Topped off with crystal eyebrows and Perspex-heeled pumps, this collection proved (once again) why Coco and Karl are the perfect match.

Stella McCartney

If anyone still associated the name Stella McCartney with The Beatles before, then this collection broke that bond once and for all. Working with colours of black, cyan, hot pink, charcoal, dark brown and white, it was a milestone in her journey from famous daughter to design star in her own right.

McCartney’s time at Saville Row made its mark in the tailoring of padded hips, oversized, rectangular cuts, and rounded shoulders, giving every piece a strong sense of structuring while offsetting the more feminine elements such as foliage embroidery and curve-tracing colour blocking. Her tribute to English style didn’t stop there: cozy waffle knit cardigans and dresses worn over Oxford button-downs, as well as A-line skirts in fabrics such as tweed, wool, mohair, crepe paid tribute to McCartney’s heritage. Balance being one of her strong suits, hip-slung, wide-legged trousers, streamlined clutchs, and contrast-coloured pumps and ankle boots gave everything an urban twist.

Tags: Alexander Mcqueen, Celine, Chanel, Hussein Chalayan, Karl Lagerfeld, Phoebe Philo, Sarah Burton, Stella McCartney

For the past eight years, photographer Tom Craig and writer A.A. Gill have explored the distance between words and pictures by travelling to countries such as Chad and Albania and recording what they see.

Now on show at Flaere Gallery, 20 unseen photographs by Tom Craig with the accompanying text by A.A. Gill assert not only the continued importance of photojournalism, but how a message is augmented by both words and pictures.

From disparate North Sea trawlers to busy tourist vistas in Turkey their collaboration seeks added dimensions while freeing both writer and journalist to convey a place exactly as they observe it. Two views, same scene.

Twin spoke to Tom about his work…

How did you meet AA Gill?
We first met at Heathrow on our way to Chad in 2004 to report on the refugee crisis. There is an image “Portrait of War” in the exhibition that comes from that assignment.

Where did the idea for the collaboration come from?
We’ve since worked together on over 25 assignments over the last eight years for various publications including The Sunday Times and Vanity Fair. It’s been a long-standing idea to present a series of images from our travels in this way to show the way that this collaboration brings writing and photography together in tandem.

Is one photo really worth a 1000 words?
Absolutely.

Was there one particular location that posed a challenge for you photographically?
On every assignment you can travel for days without an event occurring, without any flashpoint, without anything happening out of the ordinary. Life in most countries has a daily routine and tends to take the path of least resistance. At first glance what may seem innocuous  though nearly always has a backstory.

Our job is to capture that backstory; to identify what is interesting, to collect it, to digest it, to report it and from my point of view to try my very best capture it in a solitary image (That’s 125th of one second) and present an image that is as informed as it possibly can be and that is something that is always enhanced by the presence of Adrian.

I can only hope that resulting combination of his crafted comments and my images allow a viewer an insight beneath the skin of a place they may never normally consider.

Is there an experience or memory from over the eight years that stands out from the others?
Two extremes of temperature stand out: Svalbard was the coldest place and Chad was the hottest place I have ever been too.

Have you any other trips planned?
We are going on assignment to Bhutan this Saturday.

The Bigger Picture is at Flaere Gallery until 10th March 2012
flaere.com

Seal Supper, Greenland 2005 © Tom Craig, courtesy Flaere Gallery.

The Day After the Crash, Towton, UK 2008 © Tom Craig, courtesy Flaere Gallery.

The Camera Club, Turkey 2006, UK 2008 © Tom Craig, courtesy Flaere Gallery.

Tags: AA Gill, Flaere Gallery, The Bigger Picture, Tom Craig

Initially gaining recognition for a collaboration with Dior in 1980, subsequent campaigns for Yves Saint-Laurent and Valentino and covers for Vogue and Vogue Italia have earned Italian photographer Paolo Roversi, a place within fashion’s aristocracy.

His solo exhibition at the Wapping Project – Bankside, allows the viewer compelling insight into Roversi’s methods, in terms of how a basic studio, a deep respect for models and a laid-back artistry translates into elegant compositions.

Shooting on his trademark 8×10 Polaroid film, Roversi produces captivating colours and contrasts, which enrich the unique perspective of each image. His mystical approach to photography, incorporating slow exposures, and instinctive, delicate lighting, reveals a glimpse into the souls of his subjects, culminating in beautiful, alluring portraiture.

His well-honed technique traverses the disciplines of classical painting and photography reminiscent of the Pictorialists with the use of soft focus and special printing processes, while simultaneously creating a subtle aura of mysteriousness.

Images from the monographs Nudi and Studio appear alongside a selection of his muse, Guinevere.

Paolo Roversi is at the Wapping Project Bankside until  31st March 2012
thewappingprojectbankside.com

Words by Dawn Daniels

Tags: Guinevere, Paolo Roversi, Polaroid Prince, Vogue Italia, Waping Project Bankside

The metamorphoses of Cindy Sherman knows no boundaries, so it makes sense that an exhibition honouring her work is in a place as vast and all-encompassing as the Museum of Modern Art gallery in New York.

Looking back at her three decades and counting career, the just opened showcase contains over 170 of Sherman’s iconic pieces and portraits, witnessing her take on roles from cinema noir actress to Jean Fouquet’s Madonna of Melun. But Sherman’s countless transformations are beyond pure dress up and trying on a new persona; they are a deep questioning of identity, representation and the role and placement of women in society.

Rather than being solely retrospective, the exhibit is also the first showing of Sherman’s photographic murals from 2010 in America, as well as Carte Blanche: Cindy Sherman, a screening of films made and curated by the conceptual artist, which is fitting considering the strong influence of the medium on her work. The movies will range from horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre to John Waters’ Desperate Living, whilst including Sherman’s short film Doll Clothes and feature film Office Killer.

The extensive display of her work shows that even under wigs, prosthetics and layers of makeup, the real Cindy Sherman is always unmistakably there.

Cindy Sherman is on display until June 11 at The Joan and Preston Robert Tisch Exhibition Gallery, MoMA, 11 West 53 Street, New York, NY 10019
moma.org

Tags: Cindy Sherman, exhibition, film, John Waters, MOMA, photography

Trust Nike to make working out hip and fun. For their new collection, Made By Nike, they’ve enlisted quirky blogger/DJ extraordinaire and Twin friend Bip Ling, to talk about her love of boxing.

The project, worked on by Twin’s Creative Director Becky Smith, uses the Tumblr format in order to make shopping an easy click and buy experience. Meanwhile the pieces, a slick collection of purple hued, grey and black sportswear could easily make it into our everyday wardrobe for some added sports luxe.

Twin caught up with Bip to talk about her involvement…

How did Nike find out you were a fan of the brand?
Through my blog bipling.com

You’re known for your fun style, what was it that appealed to you about the Nike Made For You collection?
I think every day is a stylie day, so when working out why not get into a stylie style.

Can you remember your first pair of Nikes?
My Indian grandmother Didas bought me Nikes when I first learnt how to walk. They were white with a blue Nike swish swoosh and with Velcro.

What are your top tunes to listen to while you work out?
I like to listen to Drum and Bass when I work out. It seems to give me lots of energy; it’s great fun to listen to when I punch the peanut ball in the gym and also for runs outside. Makes me feel like I am Sonic the Hedgehog.

1. Big Tings by Drumsound & Sion Bassline Smith feat. Skibadee
2. Dr Feels Good by Original Sin
3. Aztec by Spor
4. You’re Mine by Potential Badboy Deat. Yush
5. Feelings by Shy FX & T. Power
6. Big Bad & Heavy by Leviticus

What’s been your most fashion moment since starting your blog?
I’m not entirely aware of when a fashion moment occurs, but I do love living in the moment.

What would you do if the Internet disappeared for a day?
Learn how to sing.

Tell us another thing about yourself that nobody knows?
I really enjoy eating black pudding.

Last but not least, can you give us any boxing tips?
Punch with your core strength. 😉
Punch with a smile…
and style. 🙂 hahaaaa  lol.x

madebynike.tumblr.com

Tags: bip ling, Made By Nike, Nike, Tumblr

There are many words to describe Claude Cahun: feminist, political activist, Surrealist artist, poet, writer, photographer, actress. However, the word thought-provoking seems to say it best.

Born in 1894 as Lucy Schwob in Nantes, she began practicing her most well-known form of creative expression, self portraits, at 18 years old. Produced under her pseudonym and playing between the extremes of androgyny and hyper-femininity, Cahun’s images express the idea that gender and sexuality perhaps aren’t always an A or B answer.

Involved in a life-long romantic and artistic partnership with her stepsister, and as a member of Georges Bataille’s left-wing organisation Contre-Attaque in Paris, Cahun was no stranger to controversy. In protest against the fascist regime of WWII, she distributed oppositional pamphlets combining governmental critic and poetic rhythm among the soldiers.

At a time where not even religious freedom was granted, Cahun’s defiance of political, gender, sexual and aesthetical conventions within society is remarkable. In her anti-realist, autobiographical work Aveux Nos Avenus, she wrote:  “I will follow the wake in the air, the trail on the water, the mirage in the pupil … I wish to hunt myself down, to struggle with myself.”

This internal struggle, both emotionally and on the artistic surface, helped make Cahun not only an intriguing artist, but also an inspirational legend.

Entre Nous: The Art of Claude Cahun is on display from February 25 to June 3 at The Art Institute of Chicago.
www.artic.edu

Tags: Art, Claude Cahun, exhibition, feminist, photography, Poetry, political activism, Surrealism, The Art Institute Of Chicago, writing

London Fashion Week A/W12 stood apart from other seasons in asserting the city’s place firmly within the fashion week calendar. Not just because of the brilliant creativity that the fashion world has come to expect, but because of the strength of the homegrown brands on show.

From big names such as Burberry and McQ to the young guns like Mary Katrantzou, Simone Rocha and Christopher Kane, whose collections just keep getting better, London proved that it can be a commercial contender, without losing it’s edge.

STELLA MCCARTNEY

Showing a glimpse into her evening collection pre Paris Fashion Week, Stella did it in a way that obliterated the catwalk show and turned it into immersive theatre. The unwitting stage was a fashion fabulous dinner. Models, Amber Valletta, Shalom Harlow and Yasmin Le Bon confounded guests by erupting halfway through into a choreographed dance sequence of jaw-dropping craziness. The clothes, a tight collection of optical dresses, painterly cocktail numbers and tailoring, were shown as they should be, in the moment, working the party.

MARY KATRANTZOU

Mary Katrantzou’s collection was sheer artistry, from the trompe l’oeil prints of verdant maze gardens and clackety typewriters that drew the eye deep into the design, to the origami ruffles that fluttered off of collars and hems.

This was print done with structure and tailoring the Katrantzou way. As well as being brilliantly inventive, they were also eminently wearable, and are assured of a wide following.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

Christopher Kane’s show only further confirmed his eye-opening ability to draw on references and ideas like no other and make them fashion must haves.

There was gangster goth pinstripe skirt-suits and dresses alongside elegant chiffon dresses with applique black velvet flowers. The palette was darkly purple, black and royal blue and leopard print was done in the Kane way, injecting the print with a freshness that has tarnished over recent seasons. This was tough, feminine and most obviously from London.

MEADHAM KIRCHOFF

At Meadham Kirchoff the look was acidic with tribal crayon makeup and Seventies funky heels in silver, pink and gold glitter.

With the catwalk turned into a disco this was a larger than life collection of lamé, sequins, tinsel, fuzzy snakes and most importantly fun. But hidden amongst it all were the kind of separates sure to add zing to any wardrobe.

ELLIOT ATKINSON

At a salon presentation hosted by Colin McDowell at the Corinthia Hotel, Elliot Atkinson showed a collection inspired by medieval aristoracy wrought in modern urbanity. A palette of black, white and mustard was tailored to create a silhouette that was slim, fierce and undeniably elegant.

Tags: Amber Valletta, Christopher Kane, Mary Katrantzou, Meadham Kirchoff, Shalom Harlow, Stella McCartney, Yasmin Le Bon

Ever since the likes of Salvador Dali and René Magritte began blurring the lines between the worlds of fantasy and reality, the creative arts have had a special relationship with surrealism.

Opening today, the Mythologies exhibition at Rivington Design house, curated by Marlo Kronberg and Christine Bílý, continues to explore this correlation through photography, sculpture and film. Featuring the work of artists Bek Andersen, Wendy Bevan, Stefan Milev, Jordan Sullivan, and Paulina Otylie Surys, the group show aims to explore a muse that exists in this duality of fantasy and reality, ancientness and modernism, masculinity and feminism.

Twin spoke to photographer Paulina Otylie Surys on the eve of the exhibition’s opening about the power of artistic collaborations, her muses and surrealism in the arts…

How would you describe your photography work in a few words?
An expression of the most precious thoughts of a moment. The pursuit of old traditional techniques and a never ending experiment, a quest for perfection in the craft.

How does it feel to be exhibiting in a show of such diverse artistic talent?
When Marlo Kronberg, the curator of the Mythologies exhibition,  approached me,  I really liked the idea of the show. I also admire a lot the other artists who are participating  in the project together with me, I think that their works are great, really powerful. I appreciate any form of great art, all the artists in the exhibition have a similar sublime vibe of reverie. I believe it is going to be a really beautiful event.

The theme of the exhibition is magic realism. What does the term mean to you in regards to your work?
I really enjoy creating surreal and unique situations in my works—merging the world of reality with that of imagination, illusion and hallucination. I have always been a big fan of the Lo Real Maravilloso [meaning marvelous reality in Spanish, the term was first coined by Alejo Carpentier in his 1949 novel The Kingdom Of This World] motif in film, literature and art.

The exhibit also explores the idea of paying tribute to the spirit of the muse in the ancient sense. Who or what is your muse?
I have been exposed to fine literature, films and paintings since I was a child. My mother would take care of these matters, it would always be a very important part of our life, so I was already attending operas and theatre at a young age. Even our home in Poland is filled up with books, we had to transfer the less precious ones to the basement because they literally filled up every inch of free space.

Looking towards the future, what projects do you have lined up?
I am having an exhibition in London around April courtesy of Supperclub London. I will probably exhibit in Greece soon too, as I am doing a collaboration with an amazing artist, Pascale Pollier. I am also shooting for my monographic album which will be launched during PARIS PHOTO in November, where I will be showing my works in a group exhibition, but I will unveil more details about that within the next few months…

Mythologies opens today at Rivington Design House, 129 Rivington St., New York, N.Y. 10002.
rivingtondesignhouse.com / paulinasurys.co.uk / bekandersen.com
wendybevan.com / stefanmilev.com / jordan-sullivan.com

Tags: Bek Andersen, Christine Bílý, exhibition, film, Jordan Sullivan, Marlo Kronberg, new york, Paulina Otylie Surys, photography, René Magritte, Rivington Design House, Salvador Dali, sculpture, Stefan Milev, Surrealism, Wendy Bevan

McQ showed on the catwalk at for the first time in its six year history in what was a powerful assertion of the label’s place within Alexander McQueen’s legacy. All the McQueen DNA was present at McQ’s A/W12 show at The Sorting Office High Holborn, but simply delivered in a more compact and accessible package.

Taking a stripped back wartime aesthetic as her starting point, with felted wool and tan and hunter green tailoring, Sarah Burton weaved a collection that was in parts army surplus and in others Black Watch. To finish were beautiful tulle and applique dresses reminiscent of the luxury and excess of Dior’s New Look – modelled by Kristen McMenamy with a gothic twist.

This was a collection of retro-romanticism rendered in rich fabrics and dark tones, proving the almost impossible, that a diffusion range can still be luxurious and beautifully tailored – prepare to see more McQ everyday.

mcq.com

Tags: Alexander Mcqueen, london fashion week, McQ, Sarah Burton

For Burberry Prorsum’s A/W 12 show, a love of youth and an understanding of heritage both found their place on the catwalk. Reflected in Christopher Bailey’s title Town and Field, this was a collection that melded the sophistication of a urban living with the guts of the country. Skinny tweed pencil skirts and flatcaps were matched with quirky animal cartoon knits for a look that was young socialite on a country shoot – pheasant rather than fashion that is.

The Burberry stamp was firmly placed upon the collection with enough coats and jackets to suit all tastes. There was everything from waxed cotton and cropped puffa jackets to Cara Delevingne in a beautiful dark purple belted princess coat. Throughout the collection the skirt reigned supreme, from tweed pencil skirts with bellow pockets to lace skirts with peplums, the silhouette was nipped at the waist with cute bow belts for Forties flare.

Burberry is undeniably a mega brand moment within London Fashion Week’s calendar, with a front row packed with celebrity fans and a model roster to match. But Bailey perfectly matched the brands worldwide popularity with its place in British fashion tradition. The simmulated downpour of English’s perennial rain to finish, couldn’t have been more apt.

burberry.com

Tags: Arizona Muse, Burberry Prorsum, Cara Delevigne, Christopher Bailey, Jourdan Dunn, Kensginton Gardens, london fashion week

Dress up like a dandy seemed to be Paul Smith’s motto for his A/W 12 collection.

Plush sapphire blue velvet trousers, iridescent dégradé burnt orange and grey dresses, as well as boyishly tailored pea coats and blazers defined a collection that stayed true to Smith’s self-described signature of ‘classic with a twist’.

Tweed and plaid prints paired with low slung, front-pleated trousers and silk draped tops kept the feel of the collection more feminine rather than borrowed from the boys, while the injection of colours such as deep fuchsia, emerald green and garnet punched up the chromatic factor for coming winter months.

Paul Smith may be a permanent fixture on the London Fashion Week schedule, but he sure knows how to keep things fresh.

paulsmith.co.uk

Tags: london fashion week, paul smith

For over three decades, Margaret Howell has been designing clothes for the quintessential British woman. This A/W 12 season, she provided a twist on traditional tweed, wool berets and menswear tailoring.

Inspired by Britain’s winter landscape, Shetland wool and a modern interpretation of traditional materials, Howell created a collection of silk and cotton button-downs, pleated drop-waist dresses and traditional outerwear in the form of sheepskin jackets and belted trench coats.  Held in a colour palette of navy, charcoal and moss green and accessorised with black leather penny loafers, each look was a perfect incarnation of the casual Britannia woman.

With a wearable collection tweaked with intriguing construction details, Howell proves that traditional doesn’t have to mean tedious.

margarethowell.co.uk

Tags: london fashion week, Margaret Howell

In December, Topshop launched their iPhone app allowing customers to search and shop from the comfort of their phone. And the virtual world continues to grow apace with the innovative store announcing  that throughout London Fashion Week, they will be streaming shows via their app live from the Topshop Show Space .

Brands that will be part of the streaming include Topshop Unique, Mary Katrantzou, Meadham Kirchhoff, Peter Pilotto, Louise Gray and Michael Van Der Ham. There’s also a film specially created for Topshop by Nick Knight and starring Karlie Kloss, behind-the-scenes videos and a make-up tutorial.

So if you can’t stand the crush of the shows make sure you tune in live, wherever you are.

Tags: london fashion week, Louise Gray, Mary Katrantzou, peter pilotto, Topshop, Topshop iPhone app, topshop unique