Fashion On The Crossroads - The Amalgamation Of The Past & Future For The Present

Text by Nitiz Kaila

L-R: Gucci SS12, Gucci SS12, Ralph Lauren SS12

L-R: Erdem SS13, Mulberry SS13

2012x1920, 2013x1950, 2014x1960. This encrypted code, if you may call it so, has been the modus operandi for the seasonal quests of the scientists in fashion. A much thought out progression or just a product of the experimental streak is what yours truly is introspecting.

 

Fashion off-late has been a result of teleportation it seems. The end product being a cross of: travelling back to the past and linking it with the future. That is precisely what this series represents. 2012 was the year of the 1920’s flapper, 2013 of the understated pastels from the modest 1950s and 2014 was a shout out to the minimalistic chic 1960s.

 

 And from what is conspicuous in the current dialogue in fashion, we can surmise the powerful play of the 70’s for the spring of 2015. And all this while dwelling on and manifesting our futuristic urban aesthetic. Think a not so mutually exclusive existence of flaring pants, shifts, midis & suede joining form with neoprene and mesh induced sports-couture-esque fantasies that are the current zeitgeist.

 

While the more forward and modern aesthetic is a direct consequence of times as they are, the incessant retrospection could be ascribed to a plenty of theories. Some consider it nostalgia while others proclaim it’s a realization of the longing to have lived in a different era altogether.  It could also very well be a means to fuel the mind and get inspired for some, as there is no fixed formula for the mind to stimulate. But the recurring patterns indicate more than a co-incidence.

 

For designers, owing to the exploration of what is far-fetched, unknown & unique, to deep-rooted examination and then finding antithesis to the very concept of exploration- think non-descript fashion concepts as Normcore- the process has come full circle over centuries and decades. There is aplenty designers are exploring through & through and breakthroughs that are excitable and utilitarian. But enough is no longer enough.

 

So this is perhaps the means to flirt with what is familiar and to bring about a sense of much-required security and conformity. It’s probably that common thread the creatives have been using to string themselves together while in full acknowledgement of their wonderfully individualistic creative disparities.  

It’s comfort, a sense of belonging or just a way to move forward as a collective entity whilst retaining your own edge and footing. It’s a matter of what you extract from the past plus predict for the future and how well you bind it together that will shape the current reality; a work in progress for a defining leitmotif of our times.

 

L-R: DSquared FW14, Louis Vuitton  FW14

L-R: Giambattista Valli SS15, Louis Vuitton SS15

 

Currently Trending: Anya Hindmarch Georgiana Stickers Printed Leather Clutch

The last few days have had me spending a lot of time on my favourite online shopping sites. Why you ask? Well, lets see, I give birth in about 22 days and I spend sleepless nights freaking out about the whole labour process! Online window shopping offers some sort of respite. Who doesn't love being in fantasy land filled with gorgeous handbags?!!

Anyways, as I was browsing LuisaViaRoma, I came across the coolest Anya Hindmarch piece. This quirky Georgiana Stickers clutch. The first thing that came to mind was my sticker album when I was a little girl! In white leather, with a burst of colours from the luxurious, leather stickers and a suede lining, I have a feeling this is going to be seen on every IT girl's arm come fashion week. This new creation comes as a result of a collaboration between Charlotte Stockdale of Chaos Fashion. You can go on to the website and order whatever you like from the super fun, interactive sticker shop. My favourites were the egg, the wink and the band aids. Use them to personalise your bag, phone or even your notebook. They even have letters so you can spell out your name if you want too. I love both, the clutch and the stickers! Hubby are you reading this?

 

Indelust - Artistically Curated. Ethically Sourced

Ever since Sana Rezwan started her new venture,  Indelust, I became a huge fan. I may not have shopped from this e-commerce platform but I support it in every possible way. After reading more and more horror stories of companies running sweat shops, the Rana Plaza factory tragedy, workers that are overworked and underpaid (Gucci has just been accused of making Chinese employees work for more than three times their official working hours), it really does come as a sigh of relief when you have young entrepreneurs who are actually doing something about it. At Indelust, designers are encouraged to ethically manufacture their products whilst ensuring that their artisans earn a good living too. They have partnered with NEST, an NGO that thrives on getting designers and artists to ethically source and produce their goods. Designers listed with Indelust have the option to sign an agreement that involves the reviewing of the designer's production facilities. Finally, Sana's business also aims to revive ancient handicraft techniques.

My aim was not to summarise the about us page from their website, but to try and create as much awareness as I can as a blogger to encourage and promote ethical fashion. We have all become such fast fashion fanatics, that most of us have stopped caring under what conditions our clothes are being manufactured in. I'm not saying to stop wearing the Forever 21s and Primarks, I'm just trying to say that the more demand we create by starting to purchase ethical fashion, the more support we generate. Something to think about perhaps?

Now, the main reason why I chose to write this brief post was mainly to inform you that from the 3rd-10th January, Indelust will donate 10 % of the profits from any Pakistan made products to the victims of the horrific Peshawar attack. So I you plan on doing some new year's shopping, do check out (and buy) some of the Pakistani brands especially Popinjay for clutches or the pretty necklaces by Inaaya. Not only will you end up with a lovely handmade piece but you will be helping someone too.

What a noble way to start off the new year don't you think?

Grazia India January 2015 Cover

Since I've been talking January 2015 magazine covers, I came across the Grazia India one this morning on instagram and thought of discussing that too. Another model on a fashion magazine cover.. me likey! The cover gives out this very relaxed vibe which I love. The slightly messy ponytails look really chic and easy to carry. Moving on to the clothes and accessories, as opposed to the other covers I talked about in the previous post where the cover girls were dressed in a single look from the resort collections (go through style.com to see what I'm talking about), there's a little bit of mix and match on the Grazia cover. Don't get me wrong, I still love the Harper's Bazaar cover, but I do adore how the Rahul Mishra jacket looks when paired with a Michel Kors Resort 2015 dress underneath. Being a chunky jewellery fan, those Amrapali and Silverline jewels look fabulous. Plus I'm digging the whole indo-western look.

Image via Grazia India's instagram
 

January 2015 Covers: Who Did It Best From Vogue India, Elle India, Harper's Bazaar India,?

And the best cover for the first issue of 2015 goes to..... *drumroll* ...... Not to fast people! Let's break it down a bit shall we?

Vogue India: Anushka Sharma wearing a trench coat from Burberry Resort 2015 (look 15). Other than the pretty outerwear, nothing exciting happening there. An excessively smiley Anushka sits on what looks like a tree trunk against a blurred background. Her face is used to spell the G in VOGUE. What fun! Apparently, she's going to tell us everything in this issue. Yaaaay for us. I guess Sonam Kapoor ran out of stuff to say or covers to grace.

Elle India: I have recently become a devout Elle India fan. They changed things around a while ago, and quite frankly I prefer Elle India over Vogue India any day. Sadly though, this cover really didn't impress me. The results were the same for the pilot test I conducted. My examinees were my sister and a boy BFF in the fashion industry (two sources I rely on heavily) in case you were wondering. A very bland cover with Kalki wearing Burberry Resort 2015 (look 10) against a not so nice purple background. Hmm, a second magazine cover with Burberry on it.... Dull. I was kind of hoping for a JW Anderson for Loewe cover. Oh well, next time I hope. Till then I'll just reminisce about their Dries Van Noten issue.

Harper's Bazaar India: Ah, finally I get to the best of the lot. A model... yes, a MODEL!! Hallelujah. It's becoming somewhat of a rarity to see fashion models on magazine covers in India. Sonam Kapoor covers on the other hand are dime a dozen. Moving on, Archana Akil Kumar looks fierce in look 36 from the Louis Vuitton Resort 2015 collection. This will probably be the last of the resort clothes you'll see as SS15 has started hitting stores. The white background, the cover girl, the catty expression, the hair and the outfit all make this cover the best January 2015 cover from the three contestants.

And with that being said, I wish you all a very happy and fashionable new year!

XoXo
Crazy Bag Lady

Images via the magazines' official instagram accounts

Net-a-Porter Sale - Grab Em Whilst They're Hot!!

There are so many reasons to rejoice at this time of the year; amazing weather, cheerful holiday spirit, the end of the year and of course, the end of season sales. For me, it's a time to shop for accessories/jewellery and bags that I wouldn't ever pay full retail price for. Here are a few things I've got my eye on from the net-a-porter sale!

 1. Dolce & Gabbana Bianca Sandals - Forget Cinderella's glass shoes, these Dolce & Gabbana shoes are what you need! Featuring a block heel covered in leather and shiny crystals, you've got yourself the perfect pair of dancing shoes. Click here to purchase.

2. Etro + V&A Clip Earrings - If you've been waiting for earrings from the limited edition/online exclusive V&A collection to celebrate the Glamour of Italian Fashion 1945-2014 exhibition now's your chance! These super pretty Etro earrings with lots of mini gold tone hoops and baby blue stones are so chic and can work from day to night. Click here to purchase.

3. Maison Martin Margiela Sunglasses Necklace - Trust Maison Martin Margiela to create such a cool accessory. The second I saw it, I was in love. It's so quirky and it would be a crime not to own it! Wear it with a strapless silhouette or over a crisp, white shirt for maximum impact. Click here to purchase.

4. Stella McCartney Beckett Holographic Tote - As much as I love Stella's designs, (bags and clothes) , I still can't justify paying full price for her bags since they're all faux leather. I think it's great she's doing the whole anti animal skin thing, but I feel her bag should be priced a little lower. Anyways, the Beckett shoulder bags have been spotted around town quite a bit, but I really like the holographic version of this model and more so because it's a tote. Imagine walking around town that changes colour. How fun right? Click here to purchase.

5. Shourouk Wimbledee Swarovski Crystal-Embellished Stretch Terry Wristband - Don't you think this one of the most playful takes on the tennis wristband? What a fun combination of sporty glam and hello, look at the price!! For 134 USD, I would buy this in every colour! Click here to purchase.
 

Bag Review - Alexander McQueen Legend Bag

It's been a while since I saw a new bag shape at Alexander McQueen. I already own a DeManta and a Padlock tote, but never got on board with the Heroine. However, here's presenting their newest and coolest Legend bag from their Pre-SS 15 collection and I'm totally on board! The shape is quite fun and I love the it's winged silhouette. Plus, just check out the detailing on the bag, especially the bottom corners, the little holes for the shoulder strap and the adorable bow shaped brass hardware where the top handles are. It's amazing how small details like these can really change the way a bag looks. Furthermore, this bag can easily go from play to work which makes it multi-functional! The tote is roomy enough to carry around all your essentials and of course it comes with an optional shoulder strap. If the large size is too big for you, they also have the most adorable mini version on the website and a medium size too. And finally, the colours they have for the Legend are just delicious! Barbie pink, sea green and blue; I can't wait to get my hands on this bag. Currently, I've only seen it on the Alexander McQueen website, but I strongly recommend you start harassing the sales staff over at Kitsch (Delhi & Mumbai) to keep you in the loop as to when they're going to get it. Click here to check it out.