Chutzpah's Weekly Barometer

A light hearted look back over the past week’s good, bad and indifferent including the “don’t even go there’s."

LOVING
Dolce & Gabbana Couture – Could be exceedingly special indeed...launching at a low-key event away from the Paris couture schedule in the designers’ beloved Sicily on 9^th July.

Marina & the Diamonds ‘Primadonna’ – Starring a whole host of New York nightlife  (and friend of the blog @NikThakkar) this madly entertaining video hasn’t failed to cheer us up this week. 

Nancy Dell’Olio – We love a batty old Nancy at Chutzpah Towers, and Ms. Dell’Olio’s Serpentine Party outfit, inspired by '70s disco troupe Boney M, was THE MOST, to say the very least. She may yet trump ADR.

Topman A.D. – A collection of T-shirts inspired by the “forgotten” London Olympic games of 1944, which were cancelled due to World War II, the stark geometric graphics are bang on the money. Clever Topman. T-shirts are priced £20 and available from Topman Oxford St, Selfridges and topman.com


Rodarte footwear – Brace yourselves ladies. Welcome to your next Shoe Crush.

Hydraluron serum –A new moisture boosting serum from Indeed Labs, the people behind Nanoblur, containing Hyaluronic acid and a bio-engineered strain of marine Red Algae.  One is sold every 6 minutes. Sounds like a snip at £24.99. Exclusive to Boots nationwide.

Comme Des Garcons Star Wars collection – A surprisingly tasteful range of shirts, T-shirts, and accessories inspired by the enduring legacy of George Lucas’ iconic ‘Star Wars’. There is a bag with Team Chutzpah’s name on it.


Ryan Lochte – Colour us unpatriotic, but we’d take the USA swimmer over titchy Tom ”Sexy and He Knows It” Daley any day.

Shu Uemura EssenceAbsolue Nourishing Protective Oil – Fed up with the humidity playing havocwith your hair? Follow the lead of beauty editors, who have rapidly elevated ShuUemura’s moisturising hair oil to almost hero status. And now, the brand who simply knows better is releasing the one-stop Ultime8 sublime beauty cleansing oil containing eight botanical origin oils to target different skincare concerns*. (*Available exclusively at Harrods from 1st July and nationwide from 15th July priced at £34 for 150ml/£68 for 450ml).


Rooftop Parties - We may not be having much of a Summer, but we still like to spend it sipping champers outside rather than rammed at the back of a store.


HATING
Justine Greening – It’s all going to be okay, MP for Putney and Secretary of State for Transport Justine Greening informed the nation during Thursday night’s ‘Question Time’ that she’s looking into everything

‘Top Cat: The Movie’ – Did we just walk through a doorway to the past? Any ideas why this film even exists? No? Us neither.

Milan menswear – Too much skin at Armani (yes, there is such a thing), too much Sicily from Dolce, and way too much of everything at an increasingly retrospective Gianni 'type' Versace PLUS.....

Jil Sander – Okay, maybe we had unrealistic hopes, but Jil Sander’s first effort since returning to her signature label left us a little disappointed, although we’re sure Uniqlo would’ve been thrilled in they had been handed that collection.

London/World Pride – Collapsing under a flurry of accusations, recriminations, and angry punters, maybe if London clubrunners weren’t so busy promoting themselves they could work together to stage the Pride event London deserves?

The cast of ‘Gossip Girl’ – All of 5 ft. 10” Ed Westwick modelling is ridiculous enough, but how we REELED when Gucci announced Blake Lively as the face of their new scent, encapsulating “Old Hollywood charm”. AS. IF.

Tom and Katie’s divorce – WHY GOD? WHY DO YOU FORSAKE US AT EVERY TURN? (Seriously though, we can’t wait to see the suggestions that the casting process for the next Mrs Cruise throws up. At an estimated $10mill for every year of marriage, though. *does call us sign*).

Word magazine shutting – The August issue of this brilliant, intelligent magazine is to be the last.

Iggy – Enough month, another ad campaign, this time for clothing brand Eleven Paris. Tsk. Whore.

Barclays – Words would fail us, if we weren’t so incensed. Yet more proof that the commercial banking sector cares so very little for its customers, and is prepared to rinse us at every opportunity. We would be stuffing our money under our mattress if we had any.

DON’T CARE

ADR – Literally anyone can wear a catwalk-fresh creation and a spray-painted Barbie on their heads and stop traffic, but Anna Dello Russo has elevated LOOK AT ME front row dressing to an artform, consuming clothes at a rate that even Gaga would find excessive. It’s time for a designer to politely tell our former fashion crush that it’s not all about HER.

‘Viva Forever’ – The “artists” formerly known as the Spice Girls turned out this week to promote a new Jennifer Saunders-penned musical based on their somewhat patchy back-catalogue. Scary, Sporty, Mental and Babymamma clutched each other whilst Vicky looked like she’d rather be having root canal work, which is entirely to be expected from the only member to have escaped the epithet of “former Spice Girl”. We give the production 2 months before the gays and hen parties realise what we did all along: The only good song is ‘Say You’ll Be There’ – and that was only because of the Stevie Wonder sample and ‘Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!’ inspired video.


Barometer compiled by Lee Clatworthy (@TeamChhutzpah) and Katie Chutzpah (@KatieChutzpah). Please leave us your comments. Thank you.

Salvatore Ferragamo's A/W'12 Advertising featuring Kate Moss

Kate Moss may be on her 30th Vogue cover and have transformed from waif to Boho vintage style icon to married rockstar's sophisticate wife but she's still one of the few model stars with enough credibility and authenticity to straddle both Rimmel and Salvatore Ferragamo campaigns simultaneously.

Ferragamo has always been the byword for Italian elegance. It's a brand to be aspired to, up there with Valentino and Dior. Sophisticated, subtle and with enough class to be on mute in a crowd.

The A/W'12 campaign is coined 'a story of pure seduction...mystery unravels within Berlin’s gilded Russian embassy.'

The supremely talented Mikael Jansson's photography captures a 'freeze-framed' moment with its subtle coloration, play of light and dark and highly positioned models - like a modern Vermeer you ask, 'what happens next?'.

Kate Moss, Karmen Pedaru and Sean O'Pry make quite the enigmatic triad for Ferragamo. Whilst I finally own some Valentino, I now may have to seek out that perfect Ferragamo piece.

Back to Basics at Matthew Miller for S/S'13

Following the previous explosion of pattern and colour, Matthew Miller has taken a 'Back to Basics' approach to his Spring/Summer 2013 menswear collection. Tailoring is tighter, the palette is stripped back to an almost totally monochromatic minimum, and the militia aesthetic of last season has been dialled down a few notches.

Cut, cloth, and construction are the collection’s leitmotif. A self-confessed geek, and regular contributor to Nike’s ‘Mobilize Makers’ initiative, the use of textiles is bleeding-edge, with performance materials such as fire blankets, metallic silver insulation, and rock climbing apparatus subverted to Miller’s creative whims.

The sole print in this selection is an image taken from CCTV surveillance of concrete council flats, vividly repeated over shirts and suits, and laser cut graphics referencing designers from the British Fashion Council and Arcadia Group’s MAN and NEWGEN programmes adorn certain pieces.

The designer’s collaboration with footwear brand Oliver Sweeney continues into this season, the textual graphics and cut-out details carried over onto a shoe with high-lustre leather uppers, and a clear-soled trainer. The over sized rucksack also makes a return, rendered in a super-light, super-durable techno fabric.

Matthew Miller continues to bring a bewildering level of invention and vision to the table – his T-shirt which unfolds upon tearing along a heat-transferred panel looks set to achieve the same cult status as Hussein Chalayan’s envelope dress. It’s this constant strive for innovation which cements Miller’s place as one of the most exciting menswear designers working in Great Britain today.

Review written by Lee Clatworthy (@TeamChutzpah) for Katie Chutzpah blog.

Comme des Garcons release AMAZINGREEN

For me, Comme des Garcons fragrances are very much hit and miss/LOVE it or leave it alone. From the quite divine, deadly and in my top five fragrances ever, Daphne (created for and with Daphne Guinness by Antoine Lie) which is a huge, enticing, femme fatale sleight of honied happiness which leaves plumes whenever one walks, of big ingredients - bitter orange, saffron, rose centifolia, Tunisian jasmine, tuberose, iris, patchouli, oud, amber and vanilla. Wowtastic! It so smotheringly smooth and distinctive it bowls over the best (and I can testify to that). Like a bottle full of narcotics stashed in a plush red velvet pouch, it can be used to devastating effect.

And then we have the Hussein Chalayan other-end-of-the-spectrum offer, Airborne (released last year) that's light, airy-fairyness is fresh but seems too flouncy and vapid in comparison to Comme des Garcons' big releases like Daphne, Wonderwood and Kyoto. Horses for courses one surmises.

And now we have the impending release of AMAZINGREEN (NB.Only one G. I know. It's been bugging me too), and it's back to bold. But this time bold is metallic green and shiny like it's tactile irridescent bottle. 

On first spray, AMAZINGREEN's murky depth unfolds. All shiny, glistening and bright on the top (that will be the palm tree leaves, green pepper, dew mist and jungle leaves) it powers on down to a rich musky, dirty, sexy resonance. AMAZINGREEN's a bit of a cad. All harmless on the outside and with a dark intent at heart with it's blend of gunpowder accord, vetiver, smoke and musk, combining with ivy leaves, orris root, silex and coriander seeds. Whether that cad be a man or a woman is up to you. Like all Comme des Garcons fragrances, they appeal to the unusual and the lover of niche not normal run of the mill, which makes wearing them a statement - of taste, of discerning, of contrariness. A good thing indeed.

AMAZINGREEN is termed as the 'ultimate green fragrance'. Sound the jungle drums and be prepared to hack your way through the wildness.

AMAZINGREEN is available exclusively from Selfridges from July 2012 and nationwide from August 2012. Eau de Parfum is £75 (100ml) and £57 (50ml).

The Daphne Guinness Collection - Sold to Benefit The Isabella Blow Foundation

Unless you are a complete newbie to the blog and twitter stream you'll realise by now that I am a HUGE admirer of Daphne Guinness, my own personal style icon and taste arbiter. What Daphne says, goes. A true lady with a huge heart and vision as well as bank balance, she has supported and nurtured new British designers and ensured their success globally by her financial and emotional support. In short, she's a cutting edge, stylish demi-Goddess.

Effortlessly fusing the classic and the avant-garde, the Honorable Daphne Guinness has made a name for herself not only for her outgoing style, but also as a designer, artist, model and collector of haute couture. Her support often keeps designer names afloat and front of mind. (Photography above courtesy of Mario Testino)

Ms Guinness has now donated her collection (which will include 100 pieces from her personal wardrobe including Lacroix, Dior, Prada, Chanel, Givenchy, Gareth Pugh, Alexander McQueen and others) which will be sold at auction by Christies South Kensington, to benefit The Isabella Blow Foundation, taking place on 27th June 2012 and on public exhibition from 23rd-27th July at Christies, 85 Old Brompton Road, SW7. (Photography above courtesy of Bryan Adams)

Having famously bought the collection of the late Isabella Blow in 2011 so as to preserve it in its entirety, Ms. Guinness has generously decided to offer key looks from her own renowned collection for sale at Christie’s in order to launch the charity she has set up in Isabella Blow’s

memory. The mission of The Isabella Blow Foundation is to continue the work of Issie, supporting new and emerging talent in the sphere where  art and fashion meet  – a realm championed by Daphne. A portion of the funds generated by the Foundation will also be donated to selected charities.

Says Pat Frost, Director of Christie’s Fashion Department: “We are delighted to be offering the fashion world this incredible one-off opportunity to buy some of the most iconic and cutting-edge haute couture of the early 21st century, owned and worn by Daphne Guinness. Not only will the auction comprise exceptional designs by the likes of McQueen, Chanel, Balenciaga and others, but it will also aptly benefit and shape the designers of the future. Christie’s is very proud to be able to play a part in helping Daphne to achieve her forward-looking and charitable aim.”

The indomitable sale catalogue is a work of beauty in itself containing fashion imagery of Daphne as well as the items on sale and well-wishes from famous friends and a personal note from Daphne who says, "It gives me enormous satisfaction that, almost two years to the day – my seemingly impetuous decision to purchase the entirety of Isabella’s collection, is now clearly going to set a few injustices to rights. The sale was the only practical way for me to say thank you to my friend who I carry in my soul.”

Famous friend, photographer Nick Knight says of Daphne: “You are forever riding in and saving the day! Isabella would have been so very touched by your determination and your kindness" while Amanda Harlech comments, “You have always been a light struck in the dark for the lost and the unloved.”

The praise is genuine and warranted. Where would the fashion industry be without you, Daphne?

Christies catalogue of The Daphne Guinness Collection is available to view HERE

Crafty & Youthful English Folk Traditions at Christopher Shannon for S/S'13

I have a bit of a love/hate thing for Chris Shannon. Whilst I loved his panelled festival gear, I hated the ruffled trackie bottoms (as it turns out, so did he), but it was his coming A/W 2012 collection which really turned my head, the prints reminding me of the rampant logoism in the late '90s speed garage scene, and there seemed to be more than a nod to cult capital clubwear brand Michiko Koshino. This collection is urban, it’s angry, and it’s definitely a London thing.

Spring/Summer 2013 is another winner. I love the colour combinations, especially the indigo/forest green/mulberry/cream/black story. I love the bold horizontal stripes, the raw-edged denim, the badges specially created for this collection, and the strips of upholstery ruching and fringe that simultaneously recall the crafty folk aesthetic, and gap-year backpackers’ adoption of ethnic affectations cited in the show notes. Those just-above-the-knee shorts that were everywhere are also here. I’m not so keen on the pieces constructed from strips of fabric, which were seen by some as a literal steal from English Morris dancers, but to me mere show pieces.

Another surprise is former Eastpak designer Shannon’s collaboration with the Cambridge Satchel Company. Just when you think that there’s all there’s been to be said about satchels Shannon comes along, adds fringing, and scales them up to backpack proportions. A genius move which freshens up both brands.

Christopher Shannon champions the style of ordinary men, the boys you see at bus stops, or the lads down the youth club. His brand character is ferociously youthful, unsurprising from a designer with a background in dressing pop stars. Shannon hit this point home at the end of his catwalk show by playing Tulisa’s ‘Young’. “Forgive me for what I have done” – could she be singing about those ruffled track pants?

Review written by Lee Clatworthy (@TeamChutzpah) for Katie Chutzpah Blog
Catwalk images used by kind permission of www.style.com

Lacoste launches Knightsbridge flagship store

Lacoste is suddenly cool again. Le crocodile bien connu is rearing its snapping little jaws all over the fashion scene and with a brand new pop-up store on the famous Knightsbridge Brompton Road and Knightsbridge Green triangle (dahling), I tripped along to the launch last week where the store hosted a rocking evening of cocktails, cava and celebs through A-C.

As the largest Lacoste store in the world (600sq m), the light filled store on three levels showcases the entire collection including mainline collections for men and women, the new contemporary L!VE collection, footwear, children swear, leather goods, eyewear, watches and the exclusive first launch of home textiles. Plus, it's the only space in the United Kingdom to house LACOSTE LAB launched by design director, Christophe Pillet, which identifies Lacoste products that represent the future of the brand, collaborating with experts in the sports arena.

Like a well thought out, giant, beautiful youth club in white, mirrors and chrome, the vibe at the launch was upbeat, the music pounding (more hits than misses) DJ'd by Mary Charteris and MisShapes. The clothes provided a colourful backdrop to the conversation and the gobbling of a myriad of archetypal kids sweets dotted all over the store, as youthful celebs in trainers tripped up and down the stairs while the older kidz hung-out downstairs aware that stairs play havoc on heels.

Celebrities attending (captured in the video below) included Will-I-am, Eliza Doolittle, Laura Whitmore, Amanda Blakley, Jamie Campbell-Bower, Cheska Hull (from Made in Chelsea), actor Will Poulter, Jasmine Guinness, David Ginola, Henry Conway,  Suki Waterhouse and Delilah (fresh from her set the previous week at Emporio Armani's Summer Garden Live party).

New darlings of the fashion and music scene, Singtank (headed by Josephine de la Baume), played sounds from their new album out next month. Will-I-am said the party was 'dope'. Quite.

To read more about Singtank and see the recent interview I did with them in Paris, click HERE.

Aveda Works its Miracles with Hair

Just before London Collections Men last week, I panicked slightly. Here was London's first international Mens' Fashion Week (titled the clunky LCM rather than LFW-Men) and there was Ms Chutzpah with hair that was shockingly in need of care and attention. There's nothing quite like the prospect of rocking up, looking frightful, to a Men's Fashion event teaming with dapper males to give one 'the fear'.

I called in the professionals at the Aveda Institute (coincidentally located slap bang in the midst of the new LCM show venues) who were willing to take on the challenge of my too, too long, grey at the roots, home-dyed, graduated colour hair. 

The Aveda Institute in High Holborn is a mecca of calm and black clad professional efficiency exuding wholesomeness yet thoroughly intent on making the customer the central focus of her/his experience with their individual colour and cut diagnosis, arm massages from a professional masseur using Aveda products and offers of green tea and health. The Aveda salon team concentrate on making sure the customer feels the radiating calm in this centred chakra of haircare.

I started off with a diagnosis discussion with colour specialist Teaho who wanted to even out my colour and with agreement, take my hair darker and more natural. Teaho set to work and appeared with a mix of three differing colour bowls that he applied to ensure natural coverage. All I had to do was kick back and wait for a half hour until the natural based colour had set and then be whisked to the wash area for treatment with Aveda Colour Conserve products and a head massage. This wouldn't be Aveda without the massages.

Next, came the quite brilliant Sally (stylist) who took on my instructions and set to work cutting out the dead hair - quite a bit actually 4-5 inches, which made my hair healthier, bouncier and more youthful. There is nothing, repeat, nothing, quite like the feeling of having a 'new you' appear in front of the mirror in record time. Sally then slickly teased and blow dried with Aveda's 'Smooth Infusion' and liquid gel to create my sleek, sophisticated style (that of course, I'll never quite be able to replicate at home with my inexperience). 

I left feeling that I could take on the world and, of course, praying that it didn't rain. It must have been one evening this wet June it didn't. Lucky me.

Check out the Aveda Institue website for bookings and diagnosis HERE.

Givenchy's A/W'12 Advertising Campaign & Resort '13 Collection

He can do no wrong in my book. Since Riccardo Tisci took over the helm at Givenchy, the house's radical change in direction to multo chic, slick, modernist urban has made me salivate at every single collection. These are the clothes I want to wear: the sarouel cut of trousers with dropped crotch and skinny shape (sounds ugly but is strikingly forward, flattering and elongates legs), the severe slashes and architectured structure of capes and dresses, the lace reworked to powerful instead of pretty, the prints (oh, the prints!) and the elongated structured lines...these are just some of the reasons why Tisci's role has rocketed the house forward to contemporary hip.

The Givenchy Resort Collection 2013 (above and below) is just so advanced, so spot-on, so sharp and achingly on-the-money beautiful that it towers above many others competing in this lucrative arena. Most sales are made in resort lines which also indicate the success of certain items (or not) in terms of sales and press appeal, often allowing the designer to gather information and cultivate the line for the following season. Tisci's caught our attention with this bohemian Bauhaus look for Resort '13 with the colour blocking of black and white (a house staple) combined with red and gold, the block print, the slit sleeves that give the illusion of a cape, the paisley, the simple pairing of sarouel trousers with strict shirts and jackets - mega simple, mega effective.

Fashion people are confronted with an enormous glut of information and looks and seasons at once (working 6-12 months in advance at all times) so you can often forgive the sometimes outlandish garb or the obsession with 'new' or the "what season are we in again?" attitude. For example, at the moment, we are faced with receiving information on current sale mark-downs (S/S'12), A/W'12 (high street) which hits down in late July/August, Menswear catwalks shows (S/S'13), the ' we don't know what to call this so it's either resort or pre-collection or cruise line' (the latter term we all truly despise, by the way) and, of course, we're gearing up for Couture - often an indicator of the house's next direction for the ready-to-wear. Phew! 

I say this as currently I've received (and raved over) Givenchy's Resort '13 while simultaneously being forwarded the striking split page, mixing it up, ultra contemporary ad campaign for A/W'12 photographed by the ubiquitous Mert & Marcus, featuring amongst others Joan Smalls and Stella Tennant with the styling input of Carine Roitfeld. The creative directional input of Tisci is clear, ever the modernist who takes his graphic attention to detail and translates this into a deadly directional feel for the Winter campaign, even cutting up the iconic logo.

This is a man who takes well measured risks and combines with awesome vision. Judge for yourself why Tisci's genius is revolutionising Givenchy and applaud loudly.