nicola's ny

Nicola Formichetti of Dazed, Gaga and now Mugler fame has opened a pop-up store in Tribeca for two weeks during New York Fashion 'Week'. The store sits within a what is essentially a big mirrored box designed by architects Gage and Clemenceau. Multi-faceted reflections amplify the visual feast of the maximalist pieces within. The store is more an exercise in curation than of selling a 'line'; customised Uniqlo, House of Gaga, vintage pieces and current Mugler rub shoulders on the shelves.


“I was looking for a medium to present all the different aspects of what I do... we’ve been merging different people['s ideas]. For me, it’s always about collaboration; it’s not just my vision, it’s the vision of all the people that I work with.” Formichetti explained.

The store proved a big success on Fashion's Night Out with Formichetti (pictured above) serving customers in the store himself. Definitely worth a look  if you can get there, whether the budget can stretch to the vintage Versace or not! 

Pics by Grace Joel and Rachel Been

how I wish I'd written this.....

There is a fabulous article in the Wall Street Journal on the elusive Rei Kawakubo (above, photographed in 2004 by Eiichiro Sakata) that everyone in fashion, or even just interested in fashion, should read.

As every fan of fashion knows, Ms Kawakubo is one of the most elusive and enigmatic designers out there. She is also one of the most inspiring.  I remember that on the first day of my fashion degree we were all asked who our favourite designers were -Kawakubo was the name mentioned by more than half the class -the ultimate designer's designer.

Read the article here.

ASOS heads Down Under

Good news for Australian ASOS fans as the world's largest internet store has decided to launch a dedicated Australian site at the end of this month. The decision was spurred by the Australian market's recent growth to become the store's second largest market worldwide. ASOS CEO Nick Robertson stated that the Australian market "has been going great guns".

The success of the new site will be watched closely as other retailers consider moving in to Australia's growing online shopping market.

local label 'Mina' hops the pond

In only six short years this London label has taken the UK by storm, but will its British style be to taste for our transatlantic cousins?

London fast-fashion label Mina is set to broaden its horizons by broaching the American market for the first time with its Spring Summer 2012 collection after a successful first showing in New York.

 From humble beginnings six years ago as a Portobello Road Market stall; designer Mina Lee has since opened the eponymous brand’s first flagship store in Central London and is now stocked throughout Europe in countries such as the Netherlands and Spain. Now she has her sights set firmly on America.

 The success of the brand at New York’s trade show ‘Coterie’ quickly caught the attention of US buyers and has since brought about the development of the label’s first forward-order collection. “The buying schedules of the US stores are completely different to the UK” said brand spokesperson Stacey Saunders. “This necessitated a change in the way we do things.”

However, the label will not be abandoning the fast-fashion practices that have secured their UK success. “Our UK customers tend to buy closer to season than elsewhere” said Saunders. Whether this could be due to the recent economic climate is unsure, but Mina has proven itself to be flexible throughout its six years in operation.

Mina has evolved from a largely vintage-inspired small-run operation catering to older teens into a more fashion-led brand targeting women from 17 to 55. Saunders stated “[Mina] can’t stick to one demographic. It’s important to know where our clients are going and to follow them in their journey”.  To do this, Mina installed a new design team in its Great Tichfield St premises last September. With the first collection for the US completed it remains to be seen whether the London brand will appeal to a different market.

But with the new designs being seen on UK celebrities such as Sienna Miller and Fearne Cotton it is certain that the future at home for this growing label is looking bright.

You can get your paws on Mina at their website and ASOS.

1 week to go..... Vogue Fashion's Night Out 2011

In exactly one week stores across Mayfair and Covent Garden will be extending their hours for Vogue Fashion's Night Out. FNO has truly gone global this year with participating countries including: Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey and the US.


Don't despair if you've got no free cash rolling around the bottom of your new-season cross-body satchel, there is a lot more to FNO than just shopping. Collection previews, DJs, dancing and more can all be experienced for free and with a little pre-planning and research here, a great night out can be had by all!


If you don't happen to live within a handy commute of any of the FNO locations, you can also participate online and see via live feeds what's going on and also nab yourself some freebies :)

Perry Pops With British Icon

British sports label Fred Perry has teamed up with 60s Pop Art icon Sir Peter Blake to create 3 shirts for the brand’s Blank Canvas range this year.

The English-made, limited edition mens’ designs will be based on Blake’s 1961 John Moores junior award-winning self-portrait in which he is shown wearing a red Fred Perry shirt and a blue worker’s jacket covered in badges. It is expected that the range will appeal not only to label loyalists, but to art collectors as well.

Blake’s was the creative mind behind the iconic cover of The Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. His collage-style work is clearly referenced in the bold, iconographic 60s mod style of the shirts that celebrate British tradition in a palette of red, white and blue.

Fred Perry is known for its championing of everything British and has a history of collaborating with iconic British artists, most recently working with the late Amy Winehouse on a highly collectable women’s range. 


The new range is in stores now.