KOKON TO ZAI SS12

Not often do I get palpitations from a menswear collection...don't get me wrong, every year there's at least a dozen shows that I adore...But RARELY do I come across one In which I could picture myself wearing EVERY single piece.

Enter Kokon To Zai...

Ive seen the acronym KTZ a few times online, but never had the urge to dig a bit deeper until recently...and what I found completely blew me away!

The collection is a kaleidoscope of styles...from classic punk influences in some pieces, to futuristic cuts and prints in others. The digital print has crashed back into trend as of late, and KTZ delivers some truly eye melting examples!

I love KTZ's use of sheer fabric, leather, buckles and limited colour palette to create such an eclectic mix! the overall effect is however somewhat uniform...certain design aspects have been used in EVERY piece, but altered slightly...making every piece interchangeable with every other piece. Something not often seen in the world of fashion today!

So without further ado, here are my best picks of the collection, but do check out the rest over at the KTZ 
official website!

MUGLER MAN AW12

Mr Nicola Formichetti is no stranger to turning preconceived ideas and expectations on there heads...in fact, he is rather good at it.

With his much anticipated Mugler Man AW12 collection making its runway debut, Milan Fashion Week was abuzz during the aftermath of the show...Such an eclectic and beautifully turned out show was always expected from Mugler, yet the fashion glitterati have been praising Formichetti like he was a fledgling graduate.

Now...to the collection!

Obviously, the tailoring was exquisite. Classic suits where given a new lease of life with minimalist lapels and excessive volume, alongside the metallic colours, patent leather and glittered fabric used. This unconventional approach gave the models the classic Mugler 'Alienesque' look...toned down for AW12, but with the exaggerated form it was undeniably still a staple.

The 'Highway man' cape made an appearance several times, in oxblood, navy and black...VERY in key with the 'Victorian poet' trend...but again with the very noticeable Mugler twist: vivid prints and OTT volume. Maybe also a nod to previous superhero inspired collections? I LOVE the half cape combined with the full length coat, futuristic and classic all rolled into one.

The sci-fi influences where out in force too, especially in the glittered/metallic sleeveless pieces and Neo/Matrix leather ensemble (Leather trench??? ADORE!) Mugler/Formichetti do this look very well, I love the way with every season this style is seamlessly merged with whatever trend Is 'current'...merging present and future trends is a difficult task I can imagine, yet Mugler always deliver it!

Anyway, here are my favourite looks from the collection...you can view the show in its entirety over on Formichetti's blog!

DAPHNE X MAC

Here is the first advertisement of Daphne Guinness for her collaboration with MAC cosmetics...

The image speaks for itself...flawless, edgy, VERY Daphne...and I had to share with you all!
It's also a small taste of a much larger blog post coming VERY soon, dedicated to one of this centuries biggest style ICONS. Expect avant garde fashion aplenty...WATCH THIS SPACE!

FANNIE SCHIAVONI

Chainmail has often had a bad wrap in the world of fashion. Usually seen as an impracticable and sometimes overtly fetish trend, it has often showed up on catwalks around the world...but never as anything more than a gimmick.

Well, allow me to introduce to you the the beautiful work of Fannie Schiavoni...

Schiavoni specialises in chainmail clothing and accessories, bringing this under-rated technique into the forefront of 'what's hot'. Many of her pieces have fetish inspired design...but instead of appearing seedy or overtly sexualised, they remain sleek, chic and extremely feminine. Its surprising how delicate the chainmail looks!

When browsing through her collections, It's also surprising how VERY wearable these pieces are. Whether dressed up or dressed down, they can give even the simplest of outfits a noticeable edge that WORKS.

Stars such as Rihanna, Skin and of course Lady Gaga have all been spotted dripping in Schiavoni's 'mail...and I'm sure with arrival of her AW12 collection, we'll be seeing more of her work very soon!

Check out these stunning images, spanning her complete back catalogue of work...including Gaga's appearance in Q magazine! If you'd like to see more of her work, have a look at her website www.fannieschiavoni.com

THOMAS CZARNECKI: DARK DISNEY

In the world of art, Disney characters have always been a popular subject for artists; whether It's a modern interpretation, Manga re imagining or even Disney princess's as Jedi Knights...Disney will always be a hot topic!

However, my favourite use of Disney in art has to be when its subjects are dragged out of their technicolor worlds and placed into a much darker and seedier universe...

I love this photo set by Thomas Czarnecki...In which everyone's favourite Disney damsels have all met their makers, though It is not clear how in most...

Each Princess is easily recognisable, whether by pose, costume or the props they have around them...It's the environment that is the most out of place. Each set is like a modern twist on the classic tales, except with more dirt and less glitter. 

However, despite the darkness of the images...they are very tongue in cheek and undeniably there is some humour in them...

Here are the images for you to have a peek at...

Also, check out Poison. Antidote. Repeat's Facebook page and keep up to date with all future content! <3

MIYU DECAY

Any jewellery designer who uses skeleton motifs in their work will catch my attention...I can't help but be drawn to skulls and skeletons, no matter how over-used and often tacky they may be in the world of design.

However, when I come across a designer who creates something truly spectacular, something that makes my hair stand on end and my bank balance cry...I know they're doing it right!

So imagine the look of awe on my face as I stumbled across this sterling silver bat skeleton necklace from Miyu Decay...

The piece itself is a true labour of love as you notice the attention to detail and craftsmanship that obviously went into creating such an impressive necklace.

I love the way It sits on the wearer...It looks predatory and vulnerable all at the same time. I was also surprised at how frail a bat looks underneath those wings, despite being the object of so much fear through the centuries.

It would take a lot of guts to wear this...It isn't something that could easily be worked into the everyday wardrobe...Though I'd love to see it used in an editorial somewhere!

Anyway, here is the necklace in all its glory...You can buy it directly from the Miyu Decay etsy page!

MANISH ARORA RTW SS12

Manish Arora is undoubtedly one of my favourite designers, you can always rely on his collections to bring that little something extra that sets him out from the rest. Whether it be an innovative material used or an eye melting colour palette, Arora ALWAYS delivers the goods!

So obviously, out of all the SS12 collections I've seen so far, Mr Arora's is by far my favourite!

The first thing I noticed and LOVED, was that the collection seems to be divided into two; half the collection is in metallics/pastels, whereas the other half is mostly black/green and jewel colours. This dichotomy of moods works so well...Their is definitely something for everyone, and the looks will work well day or night!

Arora is well known for his futuristic style, using abstract shapes to give the wearer an otherworldly silhouette along with kaleidoscopic colours that should NEVER work together...but somehow work SO well...

If Barbarella ever needed a frock...Manish would be the first port of call!

I was stunned by his use of iridescent detailing on a number of the pieces...Not something you often see on the runway (obviously this disappoints me) and when combined with marabou feathers, the effect is alien-like and luxurious...a combination that again, doesn't seem achievable...but somehow Arora manages it to perfection!

The slatted piece with the green bird decoration, though beautiful, is almost identical to one by Gareth Pugh for SS12...I'm not sure what I think about this, neither are one to emulate other designers, however they are REALLY similar...I'll leave that for you to decide!

The finale of the show was by far my favourite piece..an anatomical top made of what appears to be balsa wood...totally bizarre and impractical, but totally inspired!

Here are my favourite pieces from the collection...Enjoy!