Rochelle Humes took to the Julien Macdonald Fall 2016 Show in a Fall 2015 Black Mesh Sequin Bodycon Dress from the brand:
Her dress was paired with slicked-back hair, snake drop earrings, red lips, an edgy choker, and pointed-toe pumps on the runway.
Hot!
What do you think? Hot! or Hmm…?
Despite being the shortest of the major fashion weeks, London Fashion Week still has a great deal to offer budding fashionistas craving creative genius – actually about 83 shows worth of creative genius! Let’s get into what transpired on Day 2.
Prince of Prints at Duro Olowu
Longtime FBD favorite designer, Duro Olowu always brings power-packed prints and one-of-a-kind pieces to the phenomenal women who rock his clothes.
Read our review of his Fall 2016 RTW Collection here.
The Future at Central Saint Martins
If you’ve heard of Parsons School of Design or Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in the States, then you should definitely know of Central Saint Martins (CSM), one of the most distinguished fashion institutions in the UK. Famous graduates include Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, and Mary Katrantzou to name a few and every LFW, CSM hosts a runway show to celebrate the incredible student designers in its M.A. graduating class. Such a range of design was presented – from sustainably sourced sheep wool pieces to multi-layer sequined bodysuits, but it certainly bodes well for the future.
Unconventional Reigns at J.W. Anderson
British designer J.W. Anderson is adept at crafting truly unique pieces. Now the word unique may be oft overused, but in J.W. Anderson’s case, it is factually correct. He presented padded tees, silver-studded white leather pants, and rabbit fur hoodies – all in one collection and in such a way, it made you want to own something, especially the accessories.
Patriotic Overload at Gareth Pugh
With elections upcoming in the U.S., onlookers couldn’t help but wonder if Gareth Pugh‘s Fall 2016 RTW collection was a trial to dress Hilary Clinton by November. In any case, the non-star spangled looks radiated authority with their detailed flares and trim sheaths and the Hannibal Lecter hockey masks were a touch shocking to say the least!
And The Rest…
New mother Simone Rocha channeled maternal instinct in nude and lilac gauzy things while Markus Lupfer dressed a super cool girl in round sunglasses and star embroidered boots. Holly Fulton put forth full-on paisley jumpsuits in a monochrome palette.
What do you think of London Fashion Week Day 2?
Check back in for Day 3!
Source: Vogue.com
Mary Katrantzou’s Fall 2016 collection was one filled with volume, color and dynamic layering aesthetics. Even her incorporation of trench coats on top of dresses and skirts proved to be a guiding point of the collection, tapered with intricate designs and only enhancing the variation of texture and design.
Down the runway came models draped in color made into dresses, various prints of hearts, stars, and fire signs chaotically scattered throughout the fabric. The collection was one of variety, even down to the hemlines: In the beginning stages of the collections, hemlines fell above the knee for a breezy Fall day scenario, where by the end of the collection there was an assortment of floor-length dresses and coats. 
Even work attributed attire retained the element of whimsical and color, with embellished stars running down the sides of pants or found in the sleeves of double-breasted blazers.
While some designers may stray from pattern overlays or meshing combinations, Katrantzou lives in them. She brought outfits that featured strips and lavish intricacies on the bottom while mixing her signature aesthetic of decorative patterns and embellishments. Pieces from the collection definitely looked to be viable assets for both the trendy consumer as well as the wear-all fashionista.
Ending her collection, Katrantzou focuses on floor-length dresses that remained form-fitting until the bottom where high-levels of volume were to be found; patterned dresses turned over on top of tulle inserts made for a perfectly re-imagined princess of a fairy tale, an idea of reinvention and modernity Katrantzou has sought for years in her collection.
The collection was definitely one that focused on re-inventing while adding a touch of timelessness to clothing, even while building off a patterned aesthetic that has trended the collection for years.
What do you think of Mary Katrantzou’s Fall 2016 collection?
The bar is ever-raising for Nigerian designer Duro Olowu who debuted his Fall 2015 RTW collection this weekend in London. Although, he stuck to his guns of power-packed prints and nostalgic ‘fits, the collection felt flat with its highly repetitive ensembles and its deeply dissonant styling.
The level of thoughtfulness that goes into a Duro Olowu fabric is by tremendous. This collection’s inspiration was all about jewelry – precious stones such as onyx, lapis, and jade. While Duro Olowu gave its fair share of print-mania, there was almost too much to make a singular statement. The zebra and leopard booties and stockings were too far out there and didn’t lend to a cohesive interpretation.
However, there were considerable favorites to be admired, including a midnight blue silk dress with floral motif – this very pattern reappeared in a pleated skirt, slip dress, and floor-grazing trousers. Other special picks included a black petal sheer skirt and accompanying patchwork top. The capes – midi and full-length – offered the best of operatic drama for the woman bold enough to rock those looks.
Tracee Ellis Ross was among one of the brand’s wearers in the past few years (see here and here!) and she would look sensational in a dress surprisingly without pattern – a black column gown with oversized geometric shape. Duro Olowu is not for the faint of heart, but without a doubt, the daring fashionista will certainly stand out from the crowd.
What are your thoughts on Duro Olowu’s Fall 2016 RTW Collection?
Source: Vogue.com
If you’re a fan of Formation (who isn’t?), you’ll love the Accidental Genius’s Formation themed tees.
One of my favorites is their Slay tee, featuring three Black Panther esque girls walking in Formation:
It also comes in olive green.
I’m also a fan of their Black Bill Gates in the making tee.
Cute, right?
They have loads of fun, flashy tees, all for around $28 a pop.
Purchase at AccidentailGeniusClothing.bigcartel.com.
What do you think?
Beyonce, Jay Z, and Kendrick Lamar took in the Warriors vs. Clippers Game at the Staples Center.
Beyonce looked cute in $540 Dior Technologic Sunglasses, a $4,990 Saint Laurent Biker Jacket, $395 Rag & Bone Kristin Colorblock Leggings, a $2,450 Loewe Pink Puzzle Handbag, and Custom Givenchy Pink Platform Sandals.
Her Dior black metal and plastic aviator sunglasses have round frames and a cutout wire brow.
Her jacket is fashioned out of lambskin leather.
Her leggings are now on sale for $138 and feature a high waist and a slim fit through the legs.
Her bag has a three dimensional appearance, and can be worn in five different ways, rendered in tones of pink suede.
Quite a splurge, but she looks comfy and cute.
Get her shades at Nordstrom.com, her jacket at Forward by Elyse Walke, her leggings here, and a version of her bag here.
What do you think?
With NYFW now safely over, London Fashion Week boldly kicked off this Friday with 7 presentations by 7 distinct fashion designers from around the world – from Japanese-owned Daks serving all-black British tailoring to emerging Hong Kong designer Ryan Lo kitting women in bubblegum pink fancy. We’ve got the lowdown on all the happenings from Day 1 and more!
Chinatown Inspiration at Ryan Lo
London has the strong reputation for fostering a highly experimental design culture, most often tapped into by its growing new designers hailing from prestigious fashion institutions such as Central Saint Martins and Royal College of Art. Ryan Lo is a new member of this experimenting set and presented a pastel dominant love ode to his hometown of Hong Kong for LFW.
No Cigar for Daks
On the other end of the spectrum, Japanese-owned Daks has survived for over 100 years. The collection’s menswear and womenswear pieces embraced its heritage British tailoring and added a few twists, albeit unsuccessfully. Feather bits from long overcoats found their way all over the runway and hems fell out of place on menswear suiting. Despite some interesting outfits, there was little comfort in practicality for everyday wear.
Kilts at Le Kilt
Inspired by the kilt, but no longer channeling Britney Spears schoolgirl ambition? Scottish brand Le Kilt had all the tradition of the tartan cultural symbol, but with a steady balance of modernity and wearability as well. Super pleated, belted, and garnished with enormous safety pins, these skirts cut a striking silhouette and the belt-like collars added an edgy touch.
Felder Felder
A pleasing collection from Day 1 was Felder Felder, a London-based womenswear range from twins Daniela and Annette Felder. Full of amusement and whiffs of seduction, these pieces seemed ready for a place in Rihanna’s wardrobe. As committed vegans, sisters Felder incorporated many sustainable elements into their designs, including recycled plastic and CDs, but with how seamlessly the collection moved, the audience could barely tell.
And The Rest…
Matching and contrasting piping on virgin wool was all the focus at Edeline Lee. Abstract art and asymmetry found its place in sophisticated womenswear at Eudon Choi and Korean designer J. JS Lee played with pigmented separates for the professional in mind.
Getting excited for Day 2? Here’s what to look forward to!
What are your thoughts on Day 1 of London Fashion Week?
Source: Vogue.com
Striking beauty Ashley Graham attended Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit 2016 Swim BBQ VIP event in a $98 Nastygal Sheer Floral Black Lace Up Maxi Dress:
She is absolutely stunning!
The daring dress comes in sheer floral black lace and features a maxi silhouette.
It also boasts a plunging neckline, front lace-up closure at neck, scalloped hem and cuffs, and control waist
Hot!
If you’re ready to make your own standout style statement, shop it up here.
What do you think?
It’s Friidaaayyyy!
As some of you may know, I returned home earlier this week (to Houston) after an eventful New York Fashion Week! And, I had the time of my life. I got the chance to meet our extraordinary intern Jame and I finally got the opportunity to take in the sights and sounds of The Big Apple.
So, once again, I’d like to send a huge thank you to our EIC Claire for such a lovely trip. But, enough of my babbling (lol), let’s get into some of our favorite looks of the week…
Ready?
1) Chrissy Teigen in Yousef Al-Jasmi
Mommy-to-be Chrissy Teigen and hubby John Legend were on hand for the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards and their red carpet appearance literally broke the internet! Ringing in with about 18,000 likes on Fashion Bomb Daily’s Instagram, this bomb couple was the epitome of chic; however, Chrissy was the true showstopper. The model uplifted a caped white number by Yousef Al-Jasmi that complimented her baby bump perfectly. She also accesssorized with a matching clutch and white sandals. Aren’t they adorable?
2) Taylor Swift in Versace
Taylor Swift brought pops of color and sartorial drama to the GRAMMY red carpet! The songstress effortlessly slayed in a tangerine orange bandeau and a jaw-dropping magenta thigh-high slit skirt by Versace. Although her ‘fit is fairly simple, the boldness of the hues paired with her overall fierceness only adds to the beauty of this look. The starlet topped everything off with a pair of metallic heels. Okay, girl!
3) Jennifer Lopez in Blumarine
American Idol judge Jennifer Lopez stopped by The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon earlier this week and (as usual) she slayed my entire being. The multi-talented style maven showed off her toned gams in a Fall 2015 Blumarine crystal embroidered cocktail dress. Her look features sheer sleeves, intricate metallic detailing and a high neck. Cute!
4) Zendaya in Fausto Puglisi
Miss Zendaya Colemen chose to go the edgy route as she attended the Universal Music Group GRAMMY After Party. The style maven turned heads as she donned a monochromatic look while showcasing a Pre-Fall 2016 Fausto Puglisi black belted high-slit gown and matching gladiator sandals from the brand. Initially, I thought I was completely over the whole “sheer revolution” but this chick has me second guessing all of that. (Sidenote: And, I’m loving her blonde bowl cut!)
5) LaLa Anthony in Balmain
TV personality LaLa Anthony was on the scene for the 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend! The style pro took to Instagram as she smized for the camera in a $3,580 Balmain wrap effect jacquard dress. The statement-making piece houses a flamboyant red-orange tiger print and a serious slit. LaLa amped up the arsenal as she paired her frock with black over-the-knee boots.
6) Karrueche Tran in Bossa
Karrueche Tran has been busy as bee lately, right? The stylist/model celebrated the launch of her cosmetics line (Karrueche x ColourPop) at her KaePop Brunch in West Hollywood. For the occasion, K slipped into a white halter neck dress by Bossa. The hot number features gold double-breasted buttons and cutout detailing. Werk!
7) Jazmine Sullivan in Michael Costello
And last (but certainly not least), we have my girl Jazmine Sullivan! The gorgeous singer also made an appearance at the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards while rocking a form-fitting black Michael Costello gown. Her flawless dress boasts a plunging neckline, a fishtail hem and embellished bell sleeves. When I first spotted this picture on the ‘Gram, I couldn’t stop double tapping! Hands down, this is my favorite look this week. She betta werk!
And, that wraps it up!
Signing Out — Esmesha
Amandla Stenberg by Adrian Mesko for ASOS Magazine Spring/Summer 2016.
On the hyper-sexualization of girls her age:
“We live in a society where girls are hyper-sexualised, but I don’t feel like me or my friends are victimised by it. We’re learning how to take control of our identities and I’m asserting my gender identity and my sexuality. It’s scary and overwhelming, but I feel empowered, ready to take on the world. I’m surrounded by people who are really changing things by being themselves and that’s exciting.”
On social justice and representation:
“I’ve always been passionate about social justice and creating representation for people who are under-represented. But now I’m able to express my opinion on a public platform. I used to be too scared to do it and it is scary, but it’s worth it. The internet has made it possible to synthesize ideas into things that are shareable for people who don’t want to read [US author, feminist and social activist] bell hooks.”
On #blacklivesmatter:
“When I say black lives matter, I’m not saying white lives don’t, I’m just saying that this is a group of people that has been systematically repressed for generations so it’s necessary to shed light on it to undo those wounds. Some people think that it’s trying to exclude white people, but that’s not the point. The point is to uplift voices that have been silenced and that’s a problem in the way we’re treating race. Celebrating people of color and oppressed groups does not equate to the slander of white people, and yet the way that people respond to it is, “You’re being racist! Reverse racism!” But honestly, I feel like there are so many more people who are trying to learn than there are people who are closed-minded. At least I hope so.”
On trolls:
“I’m lucky. I can talk about the things I care about and the scariest thing that can happen is that someone says something mean to me from their keyboard thousands of miles away,’ she says. ‘I think conversation is so healthy and important. Ignorance is not, intolerance is not, closed-mindedness is not.”
On the change she wants to see in Hollywood:
“I think it’s easy to say that Hollywood is changing because we had movies like 12 Years A Slave and Selma, and those movies are so important, but it’s easy to just write off people of colour by saying, ‘Oh, we had that one movie, we don’t need more.’ It’s easy to create a token slot, and while things are changing, I don’t think they’re changing fast enough. I want to change people’s mentalities even though that’s a tall glass to fill.”
On her comic book:
“I met Sebastian Jones, who wrote it with me, at a festival called Mixed Remixed. It’s a festival for mixed people, bi-racial people. He introduced me to his company Stranger Comics and a character he had created called Niobe. I grew up loving fantasy and Niobe is the kick-ass character I wanted when I was little. We started a novel and wrote a couple of chapters until I said, ‘I don’t think I can do this now, I’m in 11th grade!’ So we decided to make a comic book instead. I’d love to play her in a film. We’re inching toward that.”
On her friendships with Tavi Gevinson, Lorde, Willow Smith, and Kiernan Shipka:
“My friends and I do a lot of driving round listening to 80s power ballads with the windows down – Time After Time, Forever Young or the soundtrack to Twin Peaks. We’ll stop to get In-N-Out, keep driving, go to a diner, have some pie, keep driving. Driving around LA has given me some of my quintessential teenage memories. I was obsessed with Tavi and Willow before I met them – I had posters of them up in my room – and now they’re some of my closest friends. Willow is unapologetically herself and that inspires me. And Rookie magazine introduced me to feminism and I continuously learn from Tavi. Now she learns from me, too, because I bring a different perspective.”
Source: ASOS
