I was contemplating on doing a post on the new Intimate Apparel section on Not Just A Label.. I even started one but never had the chance to finish it. But.... whilst doing my research I realized that I mainly wanted to draw attention to all the lovely designers that also studied at De Montfort University either the Contour Fashion course or the Joint Fashion and Contour course.
Now you can call me biased coming from the same Uni but I genuinely like the collections. It is also inspiring to see these graduates with respectable and ever growing, popular businesses. In times where a there are less jobs for graduates and a degree seems to get you nowhere, it gives me some hope that with some hard work and dedication that I could one day turn my ideas for a business in to a reality.
Nichole De Carle
It has been an impressive year for Nichole De Carle. Not only was she chosen to to be the featured lingerie designer for the launch of Not Just A Labels Intimate Apparel section but has also been scooped up by Luxury department store Selfridges. Most recently Nichole de Carle has taken part in The Lingerie Collective pop up boutique in London showcasing alongside other luxury lingerie designers.
Lascivious
Lascivious launched in 2004 and since then has gained a list of celebrity fans as well as being featured in well know magazines vogue, marie claire and cosmopolitan to name a few. Now recognised world wide, Lascivious is sold in Victoria Secrets stores across the USA as well as reputable UK stores and boutiques including Selfridges and Coco de Mer. You can also find this brand along with Nichole de Carle in the Lingerie Collective Pop Up boutique.
Others that aren't on Not Just A Label
Obey My Demand
A relatively new brand on the lingerie scene. Obey my Demand is a luxury lingerie and bodywear brand specialising in leather. Differentiating from other luxury lingerie brands, Obey my Demand has combined both contemporary style and luxury fetish, to create these empowering designs. Obey my Demand has already dressed the likes of Alesha Dixon at the MOBO Awards and can be bought at www.pleasurements.com
Nicole Gill Lingerie
The most recent of graduates is Nicole Gill. Nicole Gill Lingerie specialises in bespoke corsetry. Since graduating Nicole Gill was chosen to take part in Alternative Fashion Week. There has been a real buzz around her welcome to the tea collection, most recently being approached and taking part in the current Clothes Show live in Birmingham. It is hard not to see the exquisite craftsmanship in each garment and with a recent photo shoot for a Macmillan charity calender under her belt, it won't be long before Nicole Gill Lingerie known world wide.
Asos Marketplace has finally arrived. Actually it has been up a short while now but I kind of forgot about it... Oops! However... Imagine a taking a bit of Ebay (selling items over the internet) thrown together with a bit of Etsy (handmade products from designers) and you have Asos Marketplace.
What I like about this site is that anybody can set up a profile and sell unwanted clothing, and in doing so allows users to upload photos of themselves wearing the garments they are trying to sell. The difference between Asos Market place and ebay is that everybody looks fashionable and I think this makes a great selling point. Not only that but the site itself is sleek and stylish.
So lets push aside the unwanted old items and possible unwanted gifts and get to the really interesting part and also my favourite. Added to all of the above are boutiques and up and coming designers that can use Asos Marketplace to sell their work.
All in all, it is an exciting concept, and with Asos being a top online retailer it is not only a good way of promoting new talent but also to get a completely unique design.
One surprise I had when having a browsing through the products was the lingerie section. I didn't expect to see much, If anything but there were some really unique and interesting pieces.
My favourite pieces were from designer Mark Fast and Electric Ibiza (which until today I had never come across) Below are the pieces which caught my eye...
Clockwise from top left:
Electric Ibiza - Luxury Bodywear Electric Amelia Aztec Harness Bra £100 32-38 A-D Cup Handmade
Electric Amelia Aztec Wide Strap Brief £95 XS-Large Mark Fast -Faster High Top Knickers £35 S-M
(Center image) Electric Ibiza - Luxury Bodywear Electric Mustard Diamond Knitted Harness Bra £115 32-36 A-D Cup
Electric Mustard Diamond Knitted High Waisted Brief £95 XS- Large
I recently turned the big 23 Ok so maybe not that big but I feel like I am now being forced to become an adult...
With age comes responsibility, and all the rest...but with my age comes a new found love for shops that I never particularly appreciated or at least didn't see the fatal attraction that everybody else did.
Now I have never been one to really keep too up to date with fashion (sssshhh) I preferred to wear jeans and a band t-shirt, so imagine my surprise to suddenly be wanting to buy the entire shop.
My main two loves at the moment are
♥ River Island ♥ Topshop I am completely obsessed with knitwear, wanting to buy every jumper and cardigan I see. Both Topshop and River Island have had some fantastic pieces in at the moment. Unfortunately I am currently poor so I will have to keep on wishing.
I have been desperately searching for some knitted socks that I can wear under my boots, but they still peak out over the top. More to the point though, one pair in particular, that I saw somebody in town wearing, that had a cute button fastening on the top.
I have finally found them!!!
Unfortunately I can't save the picture to post here but I have posted the link.
From Marks and Spencers, I would probably say these are more of a slipper sock than regular socks, but I saw a similar red pair in their store the other day and they have the softest lining ever!!
Whilst watching Kerrang last night, Rammstein's Sonne came on. Not only haven't I heard this song played in ages but I forgot how much I loved the video. A snow white and the seven dwarfs esque video where the band play the dwarfs. Below are some stills that I found on Google to show you.
I would love to do a fairytale esque shoot with a Gothic twist. The tree in the last picture reminded me of the Tim Burton tree that is used in The Nightmare Before Christmas and Sleepy Hollow.
I have collected other reference pictures that have inspired me, and am looking to use all of these to create some interesting one off pieces and maybe a fairytale inspired photoshoot. Again all photos were found through Google.
Edward Scissor Hands Drawing - Tim Burton
Sleepy Hollow Tree - Tim Burton
Tim Burton Inspired Shoot Harper's Bizare Oct 2009 I think
Tim Burton Exhibition in New York
Christina Ricci - Sleepy Hollow Dress
Marilyn Manson - The beautiful people video stills
Marilyn Manson Video Stills
Marilyn Manson Mobscene girls
My Make up for Halloween a few years back taken from the Marilyn Manson Mobscene girls.
Please Please Please stop making bags that I absolutely adore.
It was bad enough opening Elle collections to see you Spring 2010 collection dinosaur bags, I would in fact do anything to get one of those as I really love dinosaurs and anything that's shiny. But then to add insult to injury I open this seasons Elle collections to find you cute fury eyed creature bags.
It's not even the fact that i don't have the money to buy them, It's that I cannot find them anywhere to buy. Maybe I didn't look hard enough but at least if they were on sale I would have a little glimpse of hope of being a proud owner.
This is a long needed update. All of the images are taken by myself at 3IImages studio in Leicester. My photographer was Grace Elkin (find her here on 3IImages Photgraphy ), Model Abyss (find her here on Model Mayhem ) and Make-Up Artist Sian Revil (find her here either at (Model Mayhem) or (Sian Revill - Hair and Make-Up Artist).
The photo shoot actually took place more than a month ago at Grace's studio in Leicester. I have been meaning to put for a while now, but just simply haven't got round to it. The day of the shoot was quite hectic. I still had tons to buy before getting there for 11am and had quite a bit of hand sewing to do. To make matters worse, why is it that two or three things on a list, that never seem that big might i add, suddenly turn in to hours? Your left trying to rush everything. . Luckily for me with the demand for Grace's photographs from people on my course I had time to finish everything. Phew!
Below are just a few of the photos I took behind the scenes at my photo shoot with Grace Elkin of 3IImages Photography. I got a a bit camera happy and ended up with about 100 odd images, I can't possibly post all of them on here as it will take me forever.