Summer Playlist 2015

I haven't posted a music playlist for a little while, but recently I have found some new favourites (thanks to BBC 6 Music!), so I thought I would show you what tracks I am listening to at the moment. This is definitely the start of a great summer playlist.

Cause I'm A Man by Tame Impala

Loud Places by Jamie xx ft Romy

Regret by Everything Everything

Vapour Trails by Grace Lightman

Hamburg by Mt. Wolf

Some Kind of Heaven by Hurts

Sometimes I Feel So Deserted by The Chemical Brothers

10,000 Emerald Pools by BØRNS



What new music are you currently listening to?

Phillippa x

 

Twitter - @Phillippa22

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HUGE Cannes Red Carpet Review

The Cannes Film Festival, along with the Met Gala and Academy Awards, is one of those occasions where the celebrities pull out all to stops to dress to impress. Dressed in Couture, straight off the runway dresses and dripping in diamonds, the past 2 weeks we have seen so many incredible gowns grace the red carpet. It is all about glamour, glitz and look at me red carpet fashion. I have put together a review of who wore what. This is going to be a picture heavy blog post, but with so many gorgeous gowns to swoon over I hope you will enjoy it. The looks are mainly from film premieres, but there are also a few looks from screenings and the amfAR gala.

Natalie Portman - Dior Couture / Charlize Theron - Dior Couture

Sonam Kapoor - Ralph & Russo Spring 14 Couture / Lupita Nyong'o - Gucci

Julianne Moore - Armani Prive & Givenchy Couture / Cate Blanchett - Giles AW15 & Armani Prive

Naomi Watts - Altuzarra AW15 / Elie Saab Spring 15 Couture / Armani Prive Spring 15

Sienna Miller - Ralph Lauren, Valentino Spring 15 Couture, Gucci

Emily Blunt - Stella McCartney / Rooney Mara - Rochas Fall 05

Diane Kruger - Prada / Charlotte Casiraghi - Gucci AW15

Fan Bingbing - Ralph & Russo Couture / Fan Bingbing - Marchesa Spring 15,

Li Bingbing - Zuhair Murad Spring 15 Couture

Erin O'Connor - Ralph & Russo Spring 14 Couture / Tanya Dziahileva - Georges Hobeika Couture

Nieves Alvarez - Elie Saab Fall 14 Couture / Daria Strokous - Luisa Beccaria

Aishwarya Rai - Ralph & Russo Fall 14 Couture / Araya A. Hargate - Ashi Studio Couture,

Sonam Kapoor - Elie Saab Spring 15 Couture

Anja Rubik - Versace SS15 / Karlie Kloss - Versace Fall 14

Liya Kebede - Proenza Schouler AW15 / Natasha Poly - Michael Kors

Marion Cotillard - Ulyana Sergeenko, Balmain AW15, Dior Spring 15 Couture,

Jean Paul Gaultier SS15 Couture

Cheryl Fernandez-Versini - Ralph & Russo Spring 15 Couture

WOW!!! See what I mean about breath-taking gowns? Ralph & Russo and Elie Saab were the most popular go to designers. On each red carpet appearance, their gowns provided show-stopping moments. I love the fairytale-esque dresses, the exquisite embellishments, ostrich feather hems and layers of tulle.

Best Dressed

1. Araya A. Hargate - Ashi Studio - I was completely in awe of this gown! 

2. Cate Blanchett - Giles AW15 - I was not expecting to see Cate wearing such a dark and dramatic look. At an event where we see very little print, this striking printed gown made a refreshing change. I also think she looked considerably better than Solange Knowles did wearing the same collection at the Met Gala earlier in the month. 

3. Cheryl Fernandez-Versini - Ralph & Russo - Cheryl attended this event as an ambassador for L'Oreal. The blush colour of the gown perfectly complimented her skin tone and the detailing on the back was stunning. It was a flawless look.

 

Who was your best dressed?

 

If you want to see more red carpet looks from Cannes, then be sure to follow my 'Celebrity Red Carpet' board on Pinterest. Details of how you can find me are below.

 

Phillippa x

 

Twitter - @Phillippa22

Pinterest - 'phillippadesign'

Instagram - 'PhillippaDesign22'

Get The Look - SS15

As I work in fashion, I am used to working 2 seasons ahead of what we see in the shops. The SS15 collections almost seem like a distant memory, even though they are only just available in stores. Working on Spring/Summer 15 collections in Autumn last year, I am already now working on Resort 16. As my job involves looking closely at and predicting future trends, I have picked out 4 of the biggest looks seen on the SS15 runways and put together a series of 'Get The Look' boards, showing you how you dress on trend this season.

New York - Tommy Hilfiger - Rock 'n' Roll

London - House of Holland - Sixties Stylised Florals

Milan - Etro - Tribal Bohemian

Paris - Chloe - Seventies

 

Phillippa x

 

Twitter - @Phillippa22

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*Collaboration* - Oasis X The V&A

UK High Street favourite Oasis has teamed up with the Victoria and Albert Museum to rework and incorporate archive prints into their new collection. The prints were all originally hand painted in the 18th Century. I was really taken by this collection, it is such a delicate and sophisticated group of summer prints.

So what is in the collection? Well, pretty much everything that you will need in your summer wardrobe:  sleeveless shift dresses, cami tops, lightweight wide leg trousers and culottes, mid length skirts, chic blazers and some accessories to finish off your outfit. Some of the garments would make for great spring/summer work wear or wedding occasion wear. Price Range: £18 for flip-flops and vest tops, £35-£65 for dresses, £45 for trousers. The collection is available now online and in stores. Below is my selection of the best pieces.

Phillippa x

Twitter - @Phillippa22

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2015 Billboard Music Awards - Red Carpet

Last night the 2015 Billboard Music Awards took place in Las Vegas, here is my review of who wore what on the red carpet.

Oliver Rousteing brought his Balmain Army out in full force at this event (it was announced yesterday that Balmain is the next design collab with H&M, more on that soon).

Chrissy Teigen - Balmain SS15 / Kylie Jenner - Balmain PreFall 13 / Taylor Swift - Balmain SS15

Lily Aldridge - Balmain Fall15 / Kendall Jenner and Jourdan Dunn both Balmain X H&M

J.Lo - Charbel Zoe / Rita Ora - Fausto Puglisi / Hailee Steinfeld - Givenchy SS15

Stephanie Scott / Zendaya Coleman - Fausto Puglisi AW15 / Celine Dion - Mugler AW15

Meghan Trainor - Badgley Mischka / Taraji P.Henson - Alexandre Vauthier Spring 15 Couture

Mariah Carey - Tom Ford

I was a little disappointed by the red carpet looks at this event.  There were no WOW factor dresses for me. I am a huge fan of Balmain, however the looks we saw were not my favourite from SS15 or AW15. I believe this might be the first time Taylor Swift has worn Balmain to an event and whilst it makes a refreshing change from her go to designers Oscar de la Renta, Jenny Packham and Elie Saab, I kind of wish she had opted for one of the more colourful/striking runway looks. I was however excited to get a sneak peek at the Balmain for H&M collection, worn by Kendall Jenner and Jourdan Dunn. This collection will be hitting stores on the 5th November.

Best Personal Style - Zendaya Coleman

Sex Appeal...the right way - Celine Dion. Such a breath of fresh air to see someone like Celine rocking this leather look and showing everyone how to dress sexy whilst still being sophisticated.

Hit The Headlines...for all the wrong reasons - J.Lo. I get that this is representative of J.Lo's signature style, but I'm sort of over these try-hard/attention seeking red carpet dresses. 

Who was your best dressed?

Phillippa x

Twitter - @Phillippa22

Pinterest - 'phillippadesign'

Instagram - 'PhillippaDesign22' 

Trend - Sixties Floral Vibes For SS15

Seen on the SS15 runway at House of Holland and Saint Laurent, this season retro stylised florals are huge. With seriously cool throwbacks to Carnaby Street in the swinging sixties, it's all about bold statement dresses in the brightest colours possible.

Embrace this trend and be like the Twiggy by wearing graphic floral prints that are sure to make you stand out in a crowd.

Here are a few cool pieces you can buy now to get on board with this trend.

1. New Look, 2. River Island, 3. House of Holland, 4. H&M, 5. Topshop

What do you think of this trend? Will you be rocking a vintage inspired floral number this summer?

Phillippa x

Twitter - @Phillippa22

Pinterest - 'phillippadesign'

Instagram - 'PhillippaDesign22'

Wishlist Wednesday

Phillippa x

Twitter - @Phillippa22

Pinterest - 'phillippadesign'

Instagram - 'PhillippaDesign22'

Nike X Liberty SS15

Back once again for a new collection, Nike has teamed up with Liberty for Spring/Summer. The new collection features the 'Merlin' print designed for Liberty back in 1972. Chosen for its striking pattern and upbeat colour, the print offers something completely fresh and original for the season. The playful geometric print has been applied to classic Nike footwear styles and apparel. Price range: £45 for a t-shirt and up to £110 for the Air Max trainers. Some of the collection is available now, but the full collection launches May 15th. Happy Shopping!

Phillippa x

Twitter - @Phillippa22

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*Exhibition* - Thea Porter

Last weekend I visited the 'Thea Porter, 70s Bohemian Chic' exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey. This place holds a lot of good memories for me, as I interned at Zandra Rhodes studio back when I was studying for my degree and her studio and apartment  is attached to the museum. I wanted to catch the Thea Porter exhibition before it ended, and it proved to be very inspiring.

I have always had a fascination with 70s Bohemian fashion, and it proved influential for my own personal design work and fashion print collection whilst I was at university. The work of Thea Porter perfectly embodies the 70s Bohemian spirit. Porter was raised in Damascus, which is where her love of textiles stemmed from. After moving to London she began importing textiles and making her own garments mixing the fabrics with antique trims. With a store in Soho, London and Henri Bendel stocking her collection in New York, her popularity rose. Fans included: Barbra Streisand, Elizabeth Taylor, Lauren Bacall, Pink Floyd and The Who.

Thea Porter also collaborated with artists and textile designers to produce exclusive prints for her collection. These collaborators included: Janet Taylor, Sandra Munro, Sheila Hudson, Hannah Meckler and Michael Szell. For me, this is Porters' most exciting work, and the designs that appeal to me the most.

Thea Porter continues to inspire designers today, Matthew Williamson and Anna Sui are both fans. Celebrity collectors of Thea Porter garments include most notably Nicole Richie and Kate Moss, pictured below wearing the iconic 'Gipsy' style dress.

These days a vintage Thea Porter dress will set you back between £2000-£3000. Resurrection vintage boutique in Los Angeles and New York sells her now iconic dresses.

The Thea Porter exhibition has now ended, however I can still highly recommend a visit to the Fashion and Textile Museum. Super easy to get to, it is only a 5 minute walk from London Bridge station. The museum also offers workshops in things such as pattern cutting and Photoshop, so take a look at the website if you are interested in that. Whilst you are there why not go to Borough Market for some delicious food!

Phillippa x

Twitter - @Phillippa22

Pinterest - 'phillippadesign'

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Lets Talk Pacha…

Heading to Ibiza this summer? Looking for the perfect outfit to get you noticed? Then look no further than River Island. The high street favourite has once again created a Pacha capsule collection, featuring statement prints, super cute crochet crop tops and cover-ups in luxe fabrics with lace and fringing trims.

Seen on the SS15 runway at Chloe, Emilio Pucci, House of Holland, Roberto Cavalli and Anna Sui, crochet is a must for the summer season. With seriously cool 70s vibes, a crochet top will take you from lounging by the pool in Ibiza to a festival back at home. A very versatile wardrobe essential. Team your  crop top with a bright cover up, opt for orange - the perfect sunset hue. It goes without saying that floral prints for Spring/Summer are a must. I love this pair of black shorts with delicate floral print. Perfect to wear over your bikini during the day with sandals, or dress up on a evening when hitting the dancefloor at Pacha by teaming them with a pair of killer heels and gold jewellery. Dancing the night away has never looked better! You may have also seen pictures of Jesy Nelson from Little Mix wearing the bikini in this floral print whilst on holiday…a stylish seal of approval. If you like my dream Ibiza outfit then check out the River Island website, all pieces are available now plus lots more fab pieces to take your fancy. http://www.riverisland.com

So with your outfit sorted all you need now is some great music to get the party started…CHIC ft Nile Rodgers - I'll Be There is the perfect chilled out soundtrack to your summer. See supermodel Karlie Kloss wearing Versace Spring 15 Couture in this video. Karlie's ready for Pacha, are you?

See you on the White Island of Ibiza…

Phillippa x

Twitter - @Phillippa22

Pinterest - 'phillippadesign'

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Met Gala 2015 - Red Carpet

This is the 3rd consecutive year that I have posted a red carpet round-up of the Met Gala. This year's event took place last night, and the theme was 'China: Through The Looking Glass'. The exhibition runs from May 7th - August 16th, so if you are in NYC go and check it out. There are going to be lots of pictures in this post, but hey there were just too many gowns to swoon over.

Alexa Chung - Erdem AW15 / Georgia May Jagger - Gucci

Olivia Wilde - Prada / Chloe Sevigny - J.W.Anderson

Anna Camp - Delpozo / Anna Wintour and Lily Collins - both Chanel SS15 Couture

Hailee Steinfeld - Michael Kors / Amal Clooney - Maison Margiela Couture

Poppy Delevingne - Marchesa / Allison Williams - Giambattista Valli Couture

Jennifer Lopez - Atelier Versace / Rose Byrne - Calvin Klein

Sienna Miller - Thakoon / Karolina Kurkova -  Tommy Hilfiger

Katy Perry - Moschino AW15 / Solange Knowles - Giles AW15

FKA Twigs - Christopher Kane AW15 / Sarah Jessica Parker - H&M

Kate Hudson - Michael Kors / Zoe Kravitz - Balenciaga AW15

Rosie Huntington Whiteley - Atelier Versace / Diane Kruger - Chanel Spring 11 Couture

Karen Elson - Dolce & Gabbana / Zendaya Coleman - Fausto Puglisi

Fan Bingbing - Chris by Christopher Bu

Elizabeth Banks - Michael Kors / Kendall Jenner - Calvin Klein / Emma Roberts - Ralph Lauren

Lizzy Caplan - Donna Karan Atelier / Irina Shayk - Atelier Versace

Emily Blunt - Prada / Lily Aldridge - Carolina Herrera

Rihanna - Guo Pei Couture

Cara Delevingne - Stella McCartney / Jennifer Lawrence - Dior Spring 15 Couture

Miley Cyrus - Alexander Wang / Maggie Gyllenhaal - Roland Mouret

Jennifer Connelly - Louis Vuitton / Amanda Seyfried - Givenchy Couture

Selena Gomez - Vera Wang / Dianna Agron - Tory Burch

Jess Hart - Valentino  / Olivia Munn - J Mendel

Gigi Hadid - Diane Von Furstenberg / Reese Witherspoon - Jason Wu

With the MET Gala red carpet I am always looking for the WOW factor and dresses that fit the theme. I like to see dresses that you wouldn't expect to see at any other event.

WOW Factor: Sarah Jessica Parker, Rihanna, Karen Elson, Zendaya Coleman and Fan Bingbing. It is not to say that I adore these 5 looks, but they are suitably fitting for the occasion.

Best Theme Dress: Georgia May Jagger and Chloe Sevigny

Most Daring: Whilst most would say Rihanna wore the most daring look, I would actually say FKA Twigs took the biggest risk. Wearing one of the most talked about dresses from A/W15 as seen at LFW, I couldn't think of anyone else more perfect who could successfully wear this risqué dress.

Classic Beauty: Poppy Delevingne, Amanda Seyfried

Most Popular Colour: Red

Most Disappointing: I hate to say it but...Elizabeth Banks. I usually adore her red carpet style, but on this occasion I was expecting more.

 

So how does this compare to last years event? Last year we saw a lot more texture, embellishment and varied hemlines, but each year is completely different and we never know what we are going to see. 

 

Who was your best dressed?

 

Phillippa x

 

Twitter - @Phillippa22

Pinterest - 'phillippadesign'

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SS15 Trend - Sneakers

Thought that sneakers were just worn for working out? Then think again. Seen on the SS15 runway, the statement sneaker is taking casual dressing to the next level. This season footwear is all about comfort and style. You may not have ever considered wearing sneakers to work or an evening out, but worn right this footwear trend will give your outfit major kudos. Make no mistake, these are not sportswear sneakers, these are purposely designed to be ready-to-wear. One of the best things about this trend, is that you can keep your outfit super stylish but just opt for comfy sneakers instead of heels. You can still wear your favourite dress or skirt, just the footwear is different this season. Celebrities and style icons alike have been rocking this trend: Rihanna, Karolina Kurkova, Giovanna Battaglia, Olivia Palermo, Jenna Lyons, Kate Moss, Taylor Tomasi Hill, Alexa Chung, Dree Hemingway and Whitney Port. 

So whether you choose to go for and artsy textured sneaker, patchwork, print or embellished there is a style out there for you.

1. Valentino, 2. Valentino, 3. Valentino, 4. Dolce & Gabbana

5. Jimmy Choo, 6, Volta, 7. Burberry, 8. Alexander McQueen

9. Nike, 10. Miu Miu, 11. Dior, 12. Rene Caovilla

Phillippa x

 

Twitter - @Phillippa22

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