New Year, new you; the old adage that you will commence your healthy, happy new life once the hangover recedes on New Year’s Day is something that we all secretly hope for. This time, however, Opening Ceremony will be helping you get your 5-a-day in the form of its Pre-fall 2015 collection, inspired by everyday fruit and vegetables. Symbolising refreshment and regeneration, the collection will be made up of a supermarket spectrum of colours and textures.  Think shades of beet, kale, blueberry and grapefruit, with fabrics reinterpreting the texture of banana peel or Swiss chard.

Standout items include the Cabbage Outline Multi Twist Dress in green apple, with its pattern echoing silhouette of an apple cut in half. The embossed organza Laser Cut Fruit Shell Top and the Fruit Jacquard dress feature striking cutouts of a tossed fruit salad, while staples like a shirt dress, a boxy coat, and a straight leg pant are reinvented in digitally-printed banana skin. The theme is carried into footwear and accessories, featuring black cabbage stamped suede and ‘fruit sticker’ patches.

A fresh, fun new take on spring fashion, Opening Ceremony’s latest collection is sure to tantalise – whether you keep up the healthy diet or not.

openingceremony.us

Tags: Fashion, opening ceremony, spring

Rihanna and sports brand Puma will be kicking off a new partnership from January 2015, with the singer becoming both the Creative Director and the Global Ambassador of the Women’s Training category. Her aim is to strengthen women in training sessions and beyond, and inspire a Rihanna-like confidence in their bodies and themselves. Her creative input will directly influence collections as early as next year, adding both new styles and adapting Puma classics.

Rihanna will also play a starring role in PUMA’s brand campaign, Forever Faster and be featured along with many of PUMA’s world-class athletes such as Usain Bolt and Sergio Aguero.

Adam Petrick, Global Brand & Marketing Director for PUMA said, “We can’t wait to empower women worldwide with Rihanna – she demonstrates a body confidence and determination that is the exact representation of the PUMA Woman.”

puma.com

Tags: Puma, rihanna, sportswear

Balmain has revealed its Spring/Summer 2015 advertising campaign, photographed by Mario Sorrenti and art directed by Pascal Dangin. Creative Director Olivier Rousteing created an army for the Autumn/Winter 2014 season, and has carried this idea forward into the next, where we see models Adriana Lima, Joan Smalls, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Isabeli Fontana, and Crista Cober in their Balmain uniforms. Dangin wanted to take the theme even further, injecting a sense of pop-relevance into the campaign by plotting the models in surreal interpretations of everyday environments. Inspired by the distorted realism of 1970s French cinema, the imagery transforms familiar settings like subway platforms and diner scenes into surreal tableaus of the Balmain world.

“Balmain is all about diversity,” states Rousteing. “The incredible power that all those strong women bring in front of the camera, put into real life situations, helped me explore and create a new reality that represents the pop aspect of my generation. The Balmain reality, my reality. This is the new Balmain army and the game is on!”

balmain.com

Tags: Balmain, Mario Sorrenti, Olivier Rousteing, Pascal Dangin, SS15

It’s not often that a fashion photographer wields enough influence to create an issue of Vogue featuring only black models; neither is it very common for just one person to photograph each and every cover of Vogue Italia for the past 20 years. But then, Steven Meisel’s extraordinary passion and talent set him up for an illustrious career from his early days as a fashion illustrator.

International auction house Phillips is launching a travelling selling exhibition of Meisel’s work. Role-play has already visited Paris, and will be arriving at 30 Berkeley Square in London from 16 December to 11 January next year, before heading to New York.

The show features 25 images that capture Meisel’s most notable contributions to fashion photography, including an image from the 1990s, when Meisel was instrumental in welcoming the grunge aesthetic into mainstream fashion. He has since concluded that the image is one of his favourite pictures, as, in his words, it ‘captured a real cultural moment of a music scene and a fashion scene fusing together to create a new look.’

Meisel has undoubtedly become one of the most significant fashion photographers working today and this exhibition is a brilliant opportunity to view his work as it is intended to be seen.

Steven Meisel: Role Play opens tomorrow, 16 December till 11 January 2015. Located at Phillips 30 Berkeley Square London. 

phillips.com

Tags: exhibition, fashion photography, london, Phillips auction house, Steven Meisel

Fashion Sunday are holding another one of their events, and this time they’re here to help with all your last minute Christmas shopping.

Representing the best of East London’s design scene, you’ll find and extensive list of brands: PAPER London, Leutton Postle, Alec Bizby, Pitchouguina, Kelly Love, Studio White Label, Florence Bridge, Age Of Reason, Silken Favours, Jessie Harris, Charlotte Valkeniers, Jenny Sweetnam, Benjamin Bertram, Hellespont, Monochrome, She’s Lost Control, Sarah & Sorrentino, Grace Gordon, The Blue Hour, Year One, Nylon Sky, Eleanor Linden, Henriette Lofstrom and Arlette Ess.

Food will be taken care of by food market favourites ‘What the Dickens’, tunes by Dalston party masters Cadillac and Tim Lawton of the Filthy Dukes (plus special guest DJs to be revealed) and the bar, will be serving up cocktails and drinks all day long.

Fashion Sunday is held at Oval Space 29-32 The Oval Bethnal Green London E2 9DT. Open 12-9pm on Saturday and 12-6pm on Sunday. 

thisisfashionsunday.com

Not only has Whistles cemented itself as a high street hero, your go-to store for a certain type of elegance, now, it’s proving to become your go-to boutique for young brands that share its vision. Moxham and Wool and the Gang being case in point. It’s newest design talent is another Twin favourite, V Jewellery.

You will currently find V in the Whistles’ St. Christopher’s Place and Dover Street stores, with further locations being added in the New Year. “I have always modelled the V woman on the Whistles customer so seeing the jewellery in their stores will be so surreal,” states Laura Vann, V Jewellery Creative Director. “I couldn’t think of a more perfect home for V.”

vjewellery.co.uk

Tags: V Jewellery, Whistles

The latest womenswear recipients for NEWGEN autumn/winter 2015 have been announced. Ashley Williams and Ryan Lo will receive catwalk sponsorship next season, having both received presentation sponsorship last time round, as well as 1205 and Marques Almeida, who will be receiving catwalk sponsorship again. Claire Barrow, Danielle Romeril and Faustine Steinmetz will be receiving presentation sponsorship along with newcomer Molly Goddard. Two new names to the NEWGEN roster are Marta Jakubowski and Sadie Williams, who have been given exhibition sponsorship for the upcoming season.

“NEWGEN produces the stars of London Fashion Week – the phenomenal progress of Marques Almeida in six seasons of support is proof of that,” states Sarah Mower –  BFC Ambassador for Emerging Talent. “Following in their footsteps is a whole new slew of discoveries whose sparky originality and careful entrepreneurialism have won them the praise of the NEWGEN committee and Topshop’s invaluable sponsorship. We think the quality, colour and sheer desirability of the clothes audiences will be seeing from 1205, Ashley Williams, Claire Barrow, Danielle Romeril, Faustine Steinmetz and Ryan Lo will step up yet another rung this season. And now they’re joined by an influx of three brilliantly individualistic young women, Molly Goddard, Marta Jakubowski and Sadie Williams.”

britishfashioncouncil.co.uk

Tags: 1205, Ashley Williams, Claire Barrow, Danielle Romeril, Faustine Steinmetz, Marta Jakubowski, Molly Goddard, NEWGEN, Ryan Lo, Sadie Williams

Twin favourite Larsson & Jennings have just opened their first London store in Covent Garden.

Selling the complete Larsson & Jennings collection of Swiss-made watches and leather accessories, the store also gives customers a chance to design their own in the LJX Custom area. Here you’ll get to choose from a selection of Swedish and British Leathers and new hardware options to create a bespoke and personalised watch just for you. Perhaps the perfect Christmas gift.

While you peruse their collections, you can also enjoy a range of locally sourced coffee in store at the Larsson & Jennings Fika bar.

A spokesman from Larsson & Jennings said: “Modern and traditional elements are at the heart of our product and for us our first store in the UK had to reflect this. Seven Dials was the only area that lived up to our expectations; perfectly encapsulating a heritage feel in a prime central London location.”

The Larsson & Jennings store is now open at 53 Monmouth St, London. 

larssonandjennings.com

Tags: Larsson & Jennings, Watch

An elegant woman storms down a corridor; the sound of her footsteps resonating against the floor creates a sinister heartbeat, drumming out the rhythm of a dramatic love triangle that ends in tragedy. This short film, Terminal 3, is Philip-Lorcia Dicorcia’s realisation of Dior’s stunning Cruise 2015 collection, inspired by Hollywood’s Golden Age.

dior.com 

Tags: Dior, Fashion, film

Etre Cecile’s latest collection for Resort 15 is inspired by the 1979 cult classic, The Warriors, but instead of two downtown New York gangs battling it out, this rivalry is a little more European. Calling upon Creative Director Paula Goldstein Di Principe and Director Lucy Needs, they created a short film in which le French girls and It-Brits fight it out on neutral turf, Jersey, swan lake style.

Each team is kitted out in their Etre Cecile best; fine knitwear, denim and statement slogans, of course. Each one representing a certain personality type found in our own friendship groups. There’s the rock chick, the blonde, the rebel and the prim and proper girl. #WhosInYourGang sets out to unite all us Cecile girls everywhere, ultimately creating one huge girl gang that holds the same ethos and attitude.

“Right now I feel like we’re in an era of sisterhood,” states Paula Goldstein Di Principe. “Girl gangs are about power and support, celebrating a connection to women all over the world.”

etrececile.com

Tags: #WhosInYourGang, Etre Cecile, Resort 15

Last night over 2000 people gathered to celebrate the successes of the fashion industry in 2014, with guests such as Samantha Cameron, Anna Wintour OBE, Valentino Garavani, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Lewis Hamilton, Lana del Rey and Courtney Love.

Many of Twin‘s favourite designers and brands walked away with awards, including Marques’Almeida who were recognised as Emerging Womenswear Designer of The Year. Other winners on the night were Prism – Emerging Accessory Designer, Nicolas Ghesquière – International Designer, Simone Rocha – New Establishment, Victoria Beckham – Brand and Cara Delevingne – Model of the Year, unsurprisingly.

For the full list of winners head to britishfashionawards.com

Tags: 2014, British Fashion Awards, Cara Delevingne, Marques Almeida, Prism, simone rocha, Victoria Beckham

The Twin girl knows exactly what she wants. Which, in theory, should make it easier when deciding what to get her. Problem is, she probably already bought herself whatever you had in mind. In fact, she bought two, one in black and one in white. So what do you buy her? Someone notoriously in tune with her own style, not exactly trend led. Someone cultured, well-read and, let’s face it, cool, with an impeccable aesthetic that extends way beyond the wardrobe. Readers, take note…

Rick Owens Purse, £160, thecorner.com | Marques’Almeida Frayed Denim Jacket, £375, matchesfashion.com | Moxham Oni Slim Choker in Black, £160, moxhamstore.com

Kenzo Colour Block Sweater, £295, farfetch.com | Tracey Emin The Last Great Adventure Is You, £25, whitecube.com | By Larsson Kubus 8 Candlestick, £182, darkroomlondon.com

Bella Freud Gainsberg is God Candle, £38, harveynichols.com |  This Works Deep Sleep Bath Oil, £80, thisworks.com | Bjorg Mysteries of Then Earcuff, £140, parlaonline.com

Byredo La Tulipe Hand Cream, £23.21, byredo.com | Twin Magazine XI, £14.99, boutiquemags.com | Alexander Wang Marble Coaster Set, £142, alexanderwang.com

Shrimps Faux Fur Pablo Clutch, £185, selfridges.co.uk | Jenny Sweetnam Silver Drop Ring/Necklace, £81, celestineeleven.com | Tom Dixon Stone Pestle and Mortar, £149, tomdixon.net

Tags: christmas

Edward Enninful – of The September Issue fame – has been honoured with the prestigious Isabella Blow Award for fashion creator by the British Fashion Council.

Enninful has a history of innovation, becoming the youngest editor of a major magazine when he was appointed Fashion Director of i-D at the tender age of 18. This was soon followed by becoming Contributing Fashion Editor to Italian Vogue and then American Vogue in 1998 and 2005 respectively. Since 2011, he has been at W Magazine as Fashion and Style Director.

His creative vision has also led him to pivotal contributions to advertising campaigns and catwalk shoes at Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Jil Sander, Céline, and Valentino, amongst others.

His work is much lauded by key figures in the industry, including Natalie Massenet CBE, Chairman of the BFC, who said, ‘His influence spans the entire globe, intersecting the worlds of fashion, art and business’.

britishfashionawards.com

Tags: BFC, Edward Enninful, Isabella Blow

Kenzo is popping up in London’s Mayfair just in time for the holiday season. The new store will house both their men’s and women’s collections, accessories and limited edition items. You’ll also find their Holiday Collection, a capsule range full of festive sweaters and T-shirts featuring all the famous motifs and emblems we’ve come to love from the brand, such as the tiger, the eye and the Eiffel Tower, as well as newcomer, the Statue of Liberty.

The news of the new location also comes with the announcement that Kenzo Bruton Street will be closed for renovations until 2015.

Kenzo opens at 99 Mount Street London W1K tomorrow, November 27th. 

Tags: christmas, Holiday, Kenzo

There’s no escaping it any longer, the Christmas season is upon us. To celebrate, Issey Miyake has created a limited edition animated typeface to make sending holiday messages much more playful this year. Each letter of the alphabet is allocated a unique sound, so that every message will contain a one-of-a-kind melody. Create your own at isseymiyake.com/message.

If you take a closer look at the typography, you’ll see limited-edition products from six of the Issey Miyake brands that feature Araishu, a traditional colour of Japanese lacquerware. The holiday products, which include tops, bags and wallets, are now available from the recently opened Issey Miyake flagship store in London.

Issey Miyake Flagship, 10 Brook Street London W1S 1BG

isseymiyakelondon.com

Tags: christmas, Issey Miyake

Death In Paris is the name of a creative studio based between Paris and London. They focus on motion, web and print design, but their latest venture sees them designing accessories reflective of the brand values they’ve created for themselves. For spring/summer 2015 they looked to skylines, rooftop swimming pools, vast open spaces and Japanese city life, focusing on the concept of utilising small living spaces using clever design to give us their version of contemporary luxury in a monochrome palette.

Twin spoke to the designers behind the brand and creative studio to find out more.

Tell us a bit about starting a brand from a creative studio.
The brand is an extension of the Death In Paris studio identity.  We are both into fashion and have similar tastes so it was a natural progression from traditional graphic design to product design. With the studio we tried to stay multidisciplinary: exploring web, branding, photography, video and motion, mostly for premium lifestyle brands. Designing accessories is a new output for us and an alternative way of expressing our love of clean, minimal products that are functional yet sophisticated.

deathinparisstore.com

Allen Jones knows how to sell sex. Since he first exhibited his fibreglass women in the late 1960s – the prototype fembot, down on all fours, arse practically over head, strapped into bondage gear – he’s owned it. They were – are – the literal representation of sex-on-legs. And who’d have thought that the place to get a little artistic perversion in London these days would be at the Royal Academy?

It’s clear that Jones’ coterie of fetishised furniture sculptures represents a very specific sort of fantasy. It’s everyman erotica; pert tits, big lips, hard-bodied, submissive, available. Serving you cocktails, ready to take your hat. They’re expensive whores on all fours. Yet, even as a feminist, you have to relish in how aggressively politically uncorrect it all is. Jones makes incredibly, obviously, seductive art. And you might feel a bit grubby about it afterwards, but then we’ve all been there, right?

Jones’ paintings provide a little counter balance to the implied misogyny of his sculptures. In these colourfully kitsch scenes he paints about power-play with cross-dressing inferences, of the dominate female, the submissive male, of the animalistic rituals of mating and the delicate interplay of coupling represented in the form of dance. It’s the paintings and later sculptures that suggest a much more complex side to Jones than the ones his critics would have you believe. To reduce Jones to a fetish artist, means you ignore a lot of the richness and ambiguity in his work. And it’s this that makes you want to go back and take a second look at the sculptures – maybe it’s not all about oppression and submission, maybe there’s something deeper at play? Maybe it’s not a male-female thing after all. Maybe she’s in control. Hell, maybe she’s even enjoying herself. Imagine that.

Allen Jones RA is at the Royal Academy, London until 25th January 2015

royalacademy.org.uk

IMAGE CREDIT: Allen Jones RA, Body Armour, 2013 Photograph, 127 x 127 cm London, Private Collection / Image courtesy of the artist © Allen Jones

Tags: Allen Jones, Art, fashion photography, Royal Academy

& Other Stories are no strangers to a great Co-Lab (as they like to call them), and their latest comes in the form of shimmering textures, fuzzy wools, sporty shapes and glitery details, all designed by Sadie Williams. The glitz and glamour comes just in time for the festive season, making that decision of what to wear that little less daunting.

sadiewilliams.co.uk

stories.com

Tags: & Other Stories, Sadie Williams

London-Los Angeles denim brand FRAME has added to its series of shots inspired by Andy Warhol’s iconic screen prints, entitled GIRLS IN FRAME.  Devised by Jens Grede and Erik Tortensson, the project was intended to celebrate the launch of its t-shirt for autumn/winter 2014.

The latest model to join the series is Australian model Phoebe Tonkin. This recent instalment accompanies the release of FRAME’s resort collection, launching in stores now. Grede and Tortenssion hosted a star-studded dinner to celebrate, with Karlie Kloss, Elin Kling, Tali Lennox in attendance, to name but a few.

FRAME’s chic, minimal style has already garnered followers including Cara Delevingne and Rose Huntingdon Whiteley – this creative campaign is sure to secure them a place at the head of the pack.

frame-denim.com

Tags: Denim, event, Fashion

It was the loss of her favourite gold necklace that caused Erin O’Connor to want to open her own store. Realising first hand just how attached to jewellery we are – how they hold such sentimental value – she knew what she wanted to do. Nearly one year later, Pärla is becoming the go-to boutique for contemporary, hand-made jewellery.

“I love good quality, simple design with clean shapes and silhouettes, and how jewellery can really bring that to life,” states Erin as we sit down to talk all things Pärla. This scandi sensibility is very clear to see when you walk into the Boxpark store, “It’s something I’m very passionate about, working with products and people I love.” When buying stock, her considered approach leans towards versatility, picking pieces that can be interpreted in different ways. The name Pärla reflects this; not only does it mean pearl in Swedish, but it can also be translated to mean gem or jewel too.

The eight designers she represents are all establishing themselves, and Erin has created a close-nit family and a place for them to support each other. What about other brands on her radar? “Acne and Celine; I love the cuffs they’ve created this season. And Moxham, I think [Maddie] is very talented, her pieces are so cool. Like V Jewellery and Jessie Harris, you can style it in your own way” As for the high-end brands, we’ll have to wait, as accessibility is key for Pärla. “Whether you’ve a gap in your wardrobe or looking for a gift, tell me your budget and I’ll find you something.”

It’s this personal shopping service that makes Erin, and her boutique, stand out. Her close relationship with the designers allows her to go the extra mile for those wanting to purchase the perfect little something. Maybe the chain on a necklace is too long, perhaps you’d like a certain ring in silver not gold, or you’d like something engraved. All these little changes are possible at Pärla. As is opening the store at 8am to try on jewels on your way to work, “whatever you need – I’ll sort it.”

We couldn’t leave without talking current trends, and Erin confirmed our suspicions, chokers are the thing. Has her personal style changed since surrounding herself with these great designers and brands? “I’m a lot more open minded when it comes to jewellery now. I used to only wear gold, now I love to mix and match. I’ll even pick my jewellery before I pick my outfit now.” And what about that one piece, the one you’d wear if you could only wear one forever? “That’s a tough one, but I’d wear my [V Jewellery] Spine Ring forever. It’s so easy to wear and goes with everything.”

parlaonline.com

Tags: Jessie Harris, jewellery, Moxham, Pärla, V Jewellery