got a backpack from the Row on Net-a-Porter a few weeks ago and it's the best thing I've bought in a long time. I love it like crazy — it's practical, chic, kind of everything I have ever wanted out of a bag. Plus, it's fancy in the most discreet kind of way. Unless you're a real fashion person, you wouldn't bat an eyelash at it. But then the fashion girls are like, 'Oh my God, is that the backpack from the Row?!!!! It's AMAZING!'
”She told The Cut
Alongside all of the embellishment and prints this season thanks to Miuccia Prada and Marc Jacobs, black leather had quite the comeback. I know what you're thinking: when did it ever go away but if you cast your mind back to this time last year you'll remember that block colour was still having a moment but black leather is officially back on the agenda this season.
This season was just a lot darker on the whole. Riccardo Tisci, who is undoubtedly the king of all things darkly romantic, was one of its biggest protagonists teaming his equestrian themed collection with those heel-hidden boots that everyone's rightfully raving about right now. Gareth Pugh is someone that always plays with leather and this season it came on more wearable asymmetric jackets with oversized lapels and at Gucci, Frida Giannini incorporated it on outerwear too but on cropped bell shapes instead.
As with everything, this is a trend that you can embrace with varying degrees. If you're not afraid of going full hog, invest in a coat like the ones at Versace or do like Kate Moss and buy a long sleeved bod con dress but beware. If you're going to go that way make sure to invest in quality pieces as they can quickly start to look cheap. For those of you that aren't so bold, opt for a shirt with a leather collar or follow Kanye West and Kate Moss by bagging a pair of leather trousers. That's one piece that you can count on season after season.
Shop my edit of the some of the best black leather pieces after the jump
Stella McCartney has long been dressing celebrities for the red carpet. I mean, that goes with the territory when you call the majority of Hollywood's leading ladies close friends, right? You'll be surprised to know, though, that it is only this season that she's decided to launch a special collection dedicated to evening wear.
Never one to do things by halves, McCartney used her return back to London in February to showcase the long overdue line and called on everyone from Alexa Chung and Kate Moss to Shalom Harlow and Amber Valetta to model it at London's North Audley street hall.
While the line may be new, the collection felt familiar but in a good way. Harlow sported a floor-length halter neck version of Stella's much-loved illusion dress and the line also featured a good selection of lace dresses that seemed to be a continuation from the lace looks in her 2010 resort collection. It wouldn't be a Stella collection if there wasn't an unexpected eccentric twist and this came from a handful of a marble printed silk dresses that I'm sure we'll see a lot of very soon.
The collection is available now at Net-A-Porter.
See the full line in the gallery.
Images via WWD
What's not to love about Esteban Cortazar? During his time at Emanuel Ungaro the brand went from strength to strength before completely falling apart when he decided to leave when bosses decided that working with Lindsay Lohan was the way to go. Ever since he's kept quite a low profile but in May confirmed that he's finally making the comeback that we've all been waiting for with the help of Net-A-Porter.
The designer has decided to start his own namesake line and will unveil the collection during New York Fashion Week. The partnership with the online retailer meant that they helped him get the brand off the ground and worked closely with him from the initial sketches all the way to the pricing process and now also with marketing and PR. 'The way we're buying his brand - our approach is that of the way we would buy into a more established brand,' Net-A-Porter managing director Alison Loehnis told WWD. While she refused to say how much the retailer has invested into the company, she did confirm that they will naturally buy the collection in a 'robust' way suggesting that we have a lot to be excited about.
J Brand has always been one of my favourite denim brands. As a South African with more than my fair share of junk in the trunk, it's one of the few denim brands that actually compliments my shape and over the years I've become a sucker for a good pair of cropped jeans (I blame Kate Moss). You can imagine my delight, then, when I heard that the brand has just launched a special range of them.
The collection, which is available exclusively at Net-A-Porter, completely has you covered. The styles come in great colourways ranging from more muted and easy colours like navy and brown to bright blue, red and green for those days when you want to make a statement. And besides, the length is perfect because it works just as well with heels as it does teamed with ballet flats for daytime.
All priced at £225 and available now on Net-A-Porter
When Karl Largerfeld launched his lower priced range, Karl by Karl Lagerfeld, back in January with Net-A-Porter, the launch was big and the collection sold out instantly. Today the second installment of the range dropped and while it hasn't come with the same fanfare, the collection is equally as good.
Like the first offerings, the latest range is a feminine take on his signature style so expect updated versions of his collars along with black tuxedo jackets, studded leather gloves and a bit of camouflage thrown in for good measure. Prices aren't exactly cheap, with collars starting at £80 and the leather jackets priced at £790 but while that it's true, you'll be hard pressed to find anything else designed by him with prices that low.
See my picks from the collection in the gallery.
Net-A-Porter have never been afraid of working with bloggers. If they're not profiling them in their magazine, they're collaborating with them on Twitter coverage and last season saw the online retailer take it one step further by featuring Hanneli Mustaparta and Elin Kling in their campaign. For their latest one, though, Garance Doré takes centre stage.
Dore took to her blog to announce the news saying, 'I am in it !!! (Yes, it’s me, the smiling girl with the brows.)' and the shot is definitely one of my favourite images from the new campaign. I mean, how amazing does Garance look in that killer dress from Stella McCartney's Fall 2012 collection with that tri-tone leather Victoria Beckham tote that I wrote about recently?
Haider Ackermann is by far one of my favourite designers and despite establishing his label 11 years ago and showing his collections to critical acclaim, his brand still feels like one of fashion's best kept secrets but that's slowly changing. As a result of the likes of Tilda Swinton wearing his pieces on the red carpet, the Haider Ackermann brand has slowly and steadily seeped into the public consciousness and that's going to only increase now that he has made his Net-A-Porter debut.
This week the online retailer introduced their customers to his line for the first time, showcasing some of the pieces from his breathakingly beautiful A/W12 collection. As always, his latest offerings tap into the masculine/feminine dichotomy that he's mastered and presents in a way that feelts a lot more considered that what we've seen from anyone else. Leather jackets come alongside waist accentuating belts, this season's long and lean skirt-style and dresses that need to be examined 360 to appreciate all of their subtle details.
Take a look through the gallery to see my picks.
Fashion compromises don't usually work. Take the kitten heel for example. It doesn't have the transformative superpowers of a killer heel, nor does it have the chic quality of the ballet pump. The midi-skirt, on the other hand, is one compromise that works.
After half a decade of thigh skimming dresses and a general obsession with showing skin, we're all over the mini. Even Balmain has moved on and considering that the brand has always been amongst the big supporters of all things mini, that's a big deal. The maxi has also served it's time, especially after the whole boho trend that never really went away, so the midi is the perfect balance.
It's been around for a while. Marc Jacobs was amongst the first to resurrect it back in 2010 with the Louis Vuitton fall show and ever since, everyone from Victoria Beckham to Dries Van Noten have championed the length. At Burberry this season it was all about showing the style on mixed fabrics like plaids and tweeds and Sarah Burton opted for tartan and leather on skirts and also tapped into the length on coats with strong cinched waists at McQ.
What these brands showed is that the midi length doesn't need to be stuffy. Granted, it's one of those trends that will catch on in the mainstream amongst the more mature woman, aka the women that still have money to splurge during this recession, but there are enough reworked pieces to keep everyone happy.
It was this image of Caroline Issa that convinced me ad fellow editors like Giovanna Battaglia, Taylor Tomasi Hill and Shala Monroque show just how versatile it is. So how to style it? Well if you're going for a polished look I'd do like Ashley Olsen and tuck your top in. As well as emphasising the waist, it also helps elongate the body, which, I'm sure, is music to the ears of anyone that doesn't have model length legs. For a more casual day look this season, team it with thick wool tights, hard wearing ankle boots, knitwear and a biker jacket to give it a tough edge.
If you're still undecided, just give it go. While it has very much been the maxi's underrated sister, the midi has slowly been gaining traction over the past few years so you can be rest assured that it'll have staying power.
This season's new height (or lack thereof) started at Haider Ackermann's S/S12 show. It's not often that the word 'trend' and 'Haider Ackermann' are used in the same sentence, for he's amongst the rare breed of designs so attune to his own vision that tapping into any big trend is never more than a mere coincidence. Nevertheless, the backless brogues that he showed alongside his low slung masculine trousers last season has had a serious ripple effect. The fact that Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have rarely been spotted without them is a pretty good indicator too.
Don't get me wrong, flats aren't anything new. I mean, what woman doesn't own a ballet flat or three but these styles are different. The feeling is far from conservative and is definitively not only the preserve of women who work in the city or want to be 'taken seriously'. Just like the clothes for fall, it seems that designers are becoming more attune to what women actually need, as opposed to simply pumping out killer heel after killer heel as has been too often been the case. With the world out there being tough enough right, being held back by your shoes of all things doesn't make sense anymore.
While I've always been a sucker to heels - I blame Victoria Beckham's book 'That Extra Half Inch - the idea of a good pair of flats has been growing on me. What with the shows just around the corner, the need to find something practical that takes me from shows to appointments and the odd event or two has become my mission and thankfully, there's a lot of good styles out there. Christian Louboutin, who has been one of the major influencers of the ever increasing height of heels, has even succumbed to the charm of the flat offering a really fun, quirky pair in tartan with studded black toe caps. Charlotte Olympia's kitty loafers have persuaded even the most die hard heels fans to go low and even Chloé have created a great fringed pair that are the perfect nod to this season's masculine feel. My style of choice? A pair of gold chunky brogues from Marni that will I know I'll wear to death.
As the above names show, everyone is doing it and it isn't just the big labels either. ASOS probably have the best selection around from the more classic ballet flat styles to cool loafers and timeless brogues.
Are you convinced?
SHOP THE EDIT: 1. Tartan loafers, £545, Christian Louboutin at Net-A-Porter; 2. Fringed loafers, £505, Chloe at Net-A-Porter; 3. Glitter loafers, £295, Jimmy Choo at Net-A-Porter; 4. Velvet covered leather loafers, £420, Miu Miu at Net-A-Porter; 5. Metallic leather brogues, £370, Marni at Net-A-Porter; 6. Leather and velevt creepers, £310, McQ at Net-A-Porter; 7. Loafer shoes, £38, ASOS; 8. Tassled loafers, £110, Bass Washington at ASOS
